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Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Hobart, 5th day
Subs, smoke and short stuff
Peter English in Hobart
November 20, 2007
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Lasith Malinga found out that it sometimes doesn't pay to belt sixes off fellow fast bowlers
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Lee whacks Sri Lanka with four by four
Brett Lee was the Man of the Series for his 16 wickets - he was consistent with four in every innings - and Ricky Ponting believes he is benefiting from extra thinking about his work. "The more you play the smarter you become and the more you understand what you have to do to be successful," Ponting said. "That's where it is with Brett at the moment."
Supersub strikes again
Rhett Lockyear's impression of the supersub Gary Pratt continued as he contributed to his third dismissal of the match by running out Dilhara Fernando. Fernando hit to midwicket and was lethargically attempting a third when Lockyear turned and threw in the same action. The ball bounced over the stumps and Brett Lee completed the duties without the need for the TV umpire. On day three Lockyear, a Tasmania 2nd XI player, helped run out Prasanna Jayawardene and on Monday caught Michael Vandort. Pratt, who ran-out Ricky Ponting at Trent Bridge, would have been proud.
Where there's smoke ...
It has been an eventful week for Bellerive Oval's weather, with rain, bad light, cold conditions and beautiful sunshine. Today there was another element: smoke. A bush fire in south-west Tasmania caused the problem, but despite the poor visibility it did not force an interruption.
... there's fast-bowling ire
Lasith Malinga added to the on-field fire by belting consecutive sixes off Stuart Clark before lunch, but he was nursing a bruise after the break. Brett Lee unleashed more short-pitched bowling on the tailenders and Malinga was struck in the jaw. It wasn't like Malinga, who blazed 42, had been mean to the opposition fast men. Australia's Nos 8 to 11 didn't bat in the series.
Peter English is the Australasian editor of Cricinfo
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