Dilshan puts Sri Lanka in command

Published March 10, 2004

GALLE, March 9: Tillekeratne Dilshan struck a sparkling century as Sri Lanka piled up 352 for six on the second day of the first Test against Australia on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka's batsmen, replying to Australia's 220 all out, dominaed to give their side a 132-run lead at the close as Australia leg spinner Shane Warne failed to shine on his return to Test cricket following his drug ban.

Thilan Samaraweera, batting with a runner because of a groin injury, was 21 not out at the close with Upul Chandana on 20. The 27-year-old Dilshan continued his fine return to international cricket with a fluent 104, including 12 fours and one straight six.

He added 75 for the fourth wicket with Mahela Jayawardene (68) and 100 with his skipper Hashan Tillekeratne (33) for the fifth. Since returning to the national team against England in December after a two-and-a-half-year absence, Dilshan has scored 63, 100, 83 and 104.

Warne, returning after his 12-month suspension, toiled away for figures of two for 103 from 32 overs, while seamer Michael Kasprowicz was the pick of the bowlers with two for 56 from 23 overs.

In the morning, opener Marvan Atapattu scored 47, including seven boundaries, after Sri Lanka resumed on 81 for one. Kumar Sangakkara was tied down in the first half hour before driving a return catch to Kasprowicz for 22.

Skipper Ricky Ponting rotated seam and spin throughout the morning with Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie bowling tight spells. Warne probed away, nearly adding to his wicket the previous evening, but it was Gillespie who broke through when Atapattu chopped a short ball on to his stumps to leave Sri Lanka on 125 for three.

Jayawardene and Dilshan responded positively, especially against the spinners, bringing up their fifty stand from just 77 balls soon after lunch. Jayawardene raced to his 20th Test fifty with a flurry of boundaries but paid for a rash stroke to a good-length ball from Andrew Symonds, who picked up his first Test wicket.

Jayawardene was the only wicket to fall during the afternoon session as Dilshan raised the tempo. Warne eventually broke through after tea when he trapped Tillekeratne lbw, the Sri Lanka captain occupying the crease for two hours for his 33.

Australia took the new ball in the 96th over and Dilshan was dropped on 96 by Warne at first slip off Kasprowicz, who also troubled the right-hander earlier in the day.

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan bowled Sri Lanka into a dominant position on day one, taking six for 59 from 21.3 overs, his 40th five-wicket haul in Tests and career-best figures against Australia.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 220 (D.S. Lehmann 63; M. Muralitharan 6-59).

SRI LANKA (1st Innings, overnight 81-1):

M.S. Atapattu b Gillespie 47

S.T. Jayasuriya lbw b Warne 35

K.C. Sangakkara c and b Kasprowicz 22

M. Jayawardene c Hayden b Symonds 68

T.M. Dilshan c Langer b Kasprowicz 104

H.P. Tillekeratne lbw b Warne 33

T.T. Samaraweera not out 21

U.D.U. Chandana not out 20

EXTRAS (B-2) 2

TOTAL (for six wkts, 115 overs) 352

FALL OF WKTS: 1-53, 2-92, 3-123, 4-198, 5-298, 6-323.

TO BAT: H.D.P.K. Dharmasena, W.P.U.J.C. Vaas, M. Muralitharan.

BOWLING (to-date): Gillespie 21-5-52-1; Kasprowicz 23-3-56-2; Warne 32-5-103-2; Symonds 19-3-68-1; MacGill 18-3-62-0; Lehmann 2-0-9-0. -Reuters

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