Lunch Sri Lanka 3 for 79 (Sangakkara 43*, Samaraweera 10*) v Australia
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Kumar Sangakkara became the second Sri Lankan to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Tests but there was little else for Sri Lanka to celebrate in the first session on Boxing Day at the MCG as Australia's fast bowlers all made breakthroughs. Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bat and at lunch Sri Lanka were 3 for 79, and were relying heavily on Sangakkara, who was unbeaten on 40, while Thilan Samaraweera was on 10.
Sangakkara brought up his 10,000th run in the final over before lunch with a square drive for four off Mitchell Johnson and a hug from Samaraweera and a round of applause from the Australian players followed. Sangakkara was the equal fastest to the milestone, reaching it in his 195th Test innings, the same as Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, and one innings quicker than Ricky Ponting.
Sangakkara began cautiously and had 12 from 36 balls when he decided to take on Johnson's fuller deliveries, driving him for three consecutive boundaries. It was an encouraging counter-attack from Sangakkara after Sri Lanka struggled to 3 for 37 in the 13th over.
Australia's debutant Jackson Bird struck in his second over with the new ball when he angled a ball across the left-hander Dimuth Karunaratne (5) and nipped it away off the seam, and the thick edge was snapped up by the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Bird was very impressive in his initial Test spells, hitting a nagging line and length and offering few scoring opportunities for the batsmen.
More runs came off Johnson, but he also picked up an important wicket when Tillakaratne Dilshan stood flat-footed and tried to heave a delivery from just outside off stump through the leg side. Dilshan, on 11 at the time, succeeded only in inside-edging the ball back onto his stumps and it was a particularly ugly dismissal for a man who was fresh from a century in the first Test in Hobart.
Peter Siddle also broke through when Jayawardene, who had been tied down, drove at a ball that moved away slightly and edged behind for 3 from 26 balls. It was a fine start for the Australians, who were led by Michael Clarke after he was passed fit having suffered a hamstring injury while batting in the first Test in Hobart.
Sangakkara hits 10,000 but Sri Lanka wobble
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Sangakkara hits 10,000 but Sri Lanka wobble
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Sangakkara hits 10,000 but Sri Lanka wobble
