1st Test: Australia dominate opening day against SL

Warner, Hughes, Clarke hit half-centuries.

HOBART: Australia took the upper hand against Sri Lanka following half-centuries by Phil Hughes, David Warner and Michael Clarke on the opening day of first Hobart Test yesterday.

The Australians always had the measure of the unthreatening Sri Lankan bowling attack, but Mahela Jayawardene’s team kept a lid on the scoring rate to just above three runs an over with alert ground fielding.

Hughes hit 86 on his Test comeback a year after being sacked for a second time, while Warner ran himself out for 57 just before lunch. At stumps, Australia were 299 for four after winning the toss with in-form skipper Clarke unbeaten on 70 and veteran Mike Hussey not out on 37 in an unbroken 101-run stand.

“Overall at four for 299 the ball’s in our court,” said Hughes. “I thought we were outstanding today with Pup (Clarke) and Huss (Hussey) putting on a 100 at the end, so that really gives us momentum.”

Hughes, batting at number three, was out shortly after tea when he was bowled by Chanaka Welegedara. Warner was run out in the final over before lunch to take some of the gloss off Australia’s solid first morning.

Warner, who carried his bat in his first of three Test centuries with an unbeaten 123 in last year’s Hobart loss to New Zealand, played part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan towards short cover and set off for a single.

But batting partner Hughes was well down the pitch and Angelo Mathews had time to lob the ball towards the non-striker’s end with Warner well out of his crease. Welegedara finished with three wickets for 99 off 20 overs.

“I think we did well today,” said Welegedara. “We are very confident that we can put pressure on the Australian batsmen in the future. Hopefully the bowlers will be fresh in the morning and if we get either Clarke or Hussey out we hope to get the Australians out for an additional 100 runs.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2012.