Australia v Sri Lanka
Kanishkaa Balachandran provides a brief history of Australia against Sri Lanka
Kanishkaa Balachandran
03-Oct-2007
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1982-83 in Sri Lanka
Australia became only the second team to tour Sri Lanka for a Test series, after England in February 1982, though the tour comprised just a one-off encounter. The Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy hosted its inaugural Test and Australia, led by centuries from Kepler Wessels and David Hookes, piled up enough runs to ensure that they didn't have to bat again. Hookes, who scored an unbeaten 143, pounded the attack on the second day and even managed to score over 100 runs in a session - between lunch and tea. Responding to Australia's 514 for 4 declared, the Sri Lankan top order wobbled at 9 for 3, before captain Duleep Mendis and Arjuna Ranatunga scored half centuries to a lift the score to 271. Following on, the home side were rolled over for 205 and lost by an innings-and-38 runs after left-arm spinner Tom Hogan took 5 for 66 in his debut Test. The Sri Lankans were no pushovers in the one-dayers though, shocking the visitors with a 2-0 series victory, with the last two games washed out.
Test: Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
ODIs: Australia 2 Sri Lanka 0
Australia became only the second team to tour Sri Lanka for a Test series, after England in February 1982, though the tour comprised just a one-off encounter. The Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy hosted its inaugural Test and Australia, led by centuries from Kepler Wessels and David Hookes, piled up enough runs to ensure that they didn't have to bat again. Hookes, who scored an unbeaten 143, pounded the attack on the second day and even managed to score over 100 runs in a session - between lunch and tea. Responding to Australia's 514 for 4 declared, the Sri Lankan top order wobbled at 9 for 3, before captain Duleep Mendis and Arjuna Ranatunga scored half centuries to a lift the score to 271. Following on, the home side were rolled over for 205 and lost by an innings-and-38 runs after left-arm spinner Tom Hogan took 5 for 66 in his debut Test. The Sri Lankans were no pushovers in the one-dayers though, shocking the visitors with a 2-0 series victory, with the last two games washed out.
Test: Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
ODIs: Australia 2 Sri Lanka 0
1987-88 in Australia
Up against the World Cup champions at Perth, the fastest pitch in the world, Sri Lanka were predictably rolled over by an innings for the second time in as many Tests against Australia. Dean Jones (102) and Allan Border (88) took Australia to a commanding 455. In reply, only Arjuna Ranatunga resisted, scoring 55 but his side could only manage 194. Merv Hughes was the pick of the bowlers with 5 for 67 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 153, following on. The media even wrote off the match as a waste of time. In the one-day tri-series that preceded the Test, Australia took the trophy after beating New Zealand 2-0 in the best-of-three finals. Sri Lanka managed just a solitary win, beating New Zealand by four wickets in Hobart.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
Up against the World Cup champions at Perth, the fastest pitch in the world, Sri Lanka were predictably rolled over by an innings for the second time in as many Tests against Australia. Dean Jones (102) and Allan Border (88) took Australia to a commanding 455. In reply, only Arjuna Ranatunga resisted, scoring 55 but his side could only manage 194. Merv Hughes was the pick of the bowlers with 5 for 67 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 153, following on. The media even wrote off the match as a waste of time. In the one-day tri-series that preceded the Test, Australia took the trophy after beating New Zealand 2-0 in the best-of-three finals. Sri Lanka managed just a solitary win, beating New Zealand by four wickets in Hobart.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
1989-90 in Australia
Returning to Australia for their second away series, Sri Lanka for a change were allotted two Tests instead of one. The visitors didn't disappoint in the first Test in Brisbane, applying the pressure on the home side with a first-innings score of 418, in response to Australia's 367. Aravinda de Silva announced his arrival with a masterful 167 and his team secured a first-innings lead of 51. Mark Taylor led Australia's fightback with 167 as the match headed to a draw. In Hobart, the bowlers had their say initially - Rumesh Ratnayake's 6 for 66 helped dismiss Australia for 224 - before the batsmen came alive. Mark Taylor, Dean Jones and Steve Waugh compiled centuries and the target of 522 was a little too much for Sri Lanka, though they managed an impressive 348. The only sore point in the well-contested match was captain Arjuna Ranatunga's complaint of racial abuse by Australian players. Sri Lanka ended the tour on a disappointing note, winning just one game in the Benson and Hedges World Series, beating Pakistan. Australia beat Pakistan 2-0 in the best-of-three finals.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
Returning to Australia for their second away series, Sri Lanka for a change were allotted two Tests instead of one. The visitors didn't disappoint in the first Test in Brisbane, applying the pressure on the home side with a first-innings score of 418, in response to Australia's 367. Aravinda de Silva announced his arrival with a masterful 167 and his team secured a first-innings lead of 51. Mark Taylor led Australia's fightback with 167 as the match headed to a draw. In Hobart, the bowlers had their say initially - Rumesh Ratnayake's 6 for 66 helped dismiss Australia for 224 - before the batsmen came alive. Mark Taylor, Dean Jones and Steve Waugh compiled centuries and the target of 522 was a little too much for Sri Lanka, though they managed an impressive 348. The only sore point in the well-contested match was captain Arjuna Ranatunga's complaint of racial abuse by Australian players. Sri Lanka ended the tour on a disappointing note, winning just one game in the Benson and Hedges World Series, beating Pakistan. Australia beat Pakistan 2-0 in the best-of-three finals.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
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1992 in Sri Lanka
The most enthralling contest between the two sides unfolded at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, the venue for the first Test. Australia were in for a real scare after three Sri Lankans - Asanka Gurusinha, Ranatunga and Romesh Kaluwitharana - amassed centuries, taking the score to a massive 547. Faced with a unlikely deficit of 291, Australia went into the final day 102 ahead with three wickets in hand and Greg Matthews' crucial 64 helped push the lead to 180. Sri Lanka were cruising at one stage, needing 54 off nearly 25 overs but somehow let it all slip so dramatically. A magnificent running catch by Border dismissed de Silva and with it, all hopes of a famous victory for the home team. They lost their last eight wickets for 37 - Shane Warne picked three wickets for no run off 13 balls - and Australia snatched victory by 16 runs. The result was to prove decisive for Australia as the next two Tests were drawn, handing Australia the series. Sri Lanka's 2-1 ODI series win was a consolation though.
Tests: Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
ODIs: Sri Lanka 2 Australia 1
The most enthralling contest between the two sides unfolded at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, the venue for the first Test. Australia were in for a real scare after three Sri Lankans - Asanka Gurusinha, Ranatunga and Romesh Kaluwitharana - amassed centuries, taking the score to a massive 547. Faced with a unlikely deficit of 291, Australia went into the final day 102 ahead with three wickets in hand and Greg Matthews' crucial 64 helped push the lead to 180. Sri Lanka were cruising at one stage, needing 54 off nearly 25 overs but somehow let it all slip so dramatically. A magnificent running catch by Border dismissed de Silva and with it, all hopes of a famous victory for the home team. They lost their last eight wickets for 37 - Shane Warne picked three wickets for no run off 13 balls - and Australia snatched victory by 16 runs. The result was to prove decisive for Australia as the next two Tests were drawn, handing Australia the series. Sri Lanka's 2-1 ODI series win was a consolation though.
Tests: Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
ODIs: Sri Lanka 2 Australia 1
1995-96 in Australia
The series was dogged by controversy and remembered for all the wrong reasons, starting with ball-tampering allegations and then to chucking. During the second day of the first Test in Perth, the umpires suspected that the Sri Lankans had doctored the seam of the ball, leading to protests. Match referee Graham Dowling rather hastily convicted the Sri Lankans of ball-tampering, though the ICC reversed the findings later. Led by Micheal Slater's 219, Sri Lanka were vanquished by an innings and 36 runs. The Melbourne Test was associated with one of the most infamous controversies in recent times. Umpire Darrell Hair no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan seven times in three overs for throwing. The events left a psychological scar on the visitors which, till date hasn't died down. Sri Lanka lost the Test by ten wickets and Australia completed the series whitewash in Adelaide, led by Steve Waugh's all-round show. The chucking controversy however moulded the Sri Lankans into a stronger unit as they powered to the finals of the tri-series, edging out West Indies. Though Sri Lanka ran out of steam in the finals, the spirit with which they played and their innovative batting strategies was a sign of things to come in the World Cup a few months later.
Tests: Australia 3 Sri Lanka 0
The series was dogged by controversy and remembered for all the wrong reasons, starting with ball-tampering allegations and then to chucking. During the second day of the first Test in Perth, the umpires suspected that the Sri Lankans had doctored the seam of the ball, leading to protests. Match referee Graham Dowling rather hastily convicted the Sri Lankans of ball-tampering, though the ICC reversed the findings later. Led by Micheal Slater's 219, Sri Lanka were vanquished by an innings and 36 runs. The Melbourne Test was associated with one of the most infamous controversies in recent times. Umpire Darrell Hair no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan seven times in three overs for throwing. The events left a psychological scar on the visitors which, till date hasn't died down. Sri Lanka lost the Test by ten wickets and Australia completed the series whitewash in Adelaide, led by Steve Waugh's all-round show. The chucking controversy however moulded the Sri Lankans into a stronger unit as they powered to the finals of the tri-series, edging out West Indies. Though Sri Lanka ran out of steam in the finals, the spirit with which they played and their innovative batting strategies was a sign of things to come in the World Cup a few months later.
Tests: Australia 3 Sri Lanka 0
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1999 in Sri Lanka
The new World Cup champions Australia were in for a rude and painful shock in the first Test in Kandy. Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa inflicted early damage on the visitors, reducing them to 60 for 7 in the first morning and Ricky Ponting's defiant 96 could only lift his side to a modest 188. To add injury to insult, Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie were involved in a bloody collision at the boundary, leaving Australia two men short for the rest of the match. Australia folded for a paltry 140 in the second innings, leaving Sri Lanka 95 for victory. Their six-wicket win was historic, for it was their first ever against Australia and rain in the next two Tests halted Australia's comeback bid. Sri Lanka shrugged off their poor one-day form following the World Cup debacle and beat Australia in the final of the one-day tri-series, also featuring India.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
The new World Cup champions Australia were in for a rude and painful shock in the first Test in Kandy. Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa inflicted early damage on the visitors, reducing them to 60 for 7 in the first morning and Ricky Ponting's defiant 96 could only lift his side to a modest 188. To add injury to insult, Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie were involved in a bloody collision at the boundary, leaving Australia two men short for the rest of the match. Australia folded for a paltry 140 in the second innings, leaving Sri Lanka 95 for victory. Their six-wicket win was historic, for it was their first ever against Australia and rain in the next two Tests halted Australia's comeback bid. Sri Lanka shrugged off their poor one-day form following the World Cup debacle and beat Australia in the final of the one-day tri-series, also featuring India.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
2003-04 in Sri Lanka
The most incredible feature in the 2003-04 series was that Australia managed to overcome first-innings deficits in all three Tests and complete another series whitewash, this time away from home. In Galle, centuries by Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann helped wipe out a big deficit of 161 and set an imposing target of 352. Shane Warne - returning after serving a drugs ban - took ten wickets in the match to give Australia a 197-run win. In Kandy, Australia folded up for a paltry 120, conceded a lead of 91 and yet found a way out. Martyn and Adam Gilchrist compiled hefty centuries to set Sri Lanka a target of 352... again. This time they nearly pulled off a series-levelling win and Sanath Jayasuriya's 131 went in vain as Australia secured a narrow 27-run win. In Colombo, Lehmann and Justin Langer battled severe humidity and scored big hundreds to help Australia seal the series rout with just eight balls remaining in the match. Sri Lanka fell short of chasing another big target for the third time but the final result didn't overshadow the fact that it was the most competitive series played out between the two teams. Sri Lanka had their moments in the one-dayers, sneaking home in the second match in Dambulla by one run, but Australia eventually bagged the series.
Tests: Australia 3 Sri Lanka 0
ODIs: Australia 3 Sri Lanka 2
The most incredible feature in the 2003-04 series was that Australia managed to overcome first-innings deficits in all three Tests and complete another series whitewash, this time away from home. In Galle, centuries by Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann helped wipe out a big deficit of 161 and set an imposing target of 352. Shane Warne - returning after serving a drugs ban - took ten wickets in the match to give Australia a 197-run win. In Kandy, Australia folded up for a paltry 120, conceded a lead of 91 and yet found a way out. Martyn and Adam Gilchrist compiled hefty centuries to set Sri Lanka a target of 352... again. This time they nearly pulled off a series-levelling win and Sanath Jayasuriya's 131 went in vain as Australia secured a narrow 27-run win. In Colombo, Lehmann and Justin Langer battled severe humidity and scored big hundreds to help Australia seal the series rout with just eight balls remaining in the match. Sri Lanka fell short of chasing another big target for the third time but the final result didn't overshadow the fact that it was the most competitive series played out between the two teams. Sri Lanka had their moments in the one-dayers, sneaking home in the second match in Dambulla by one run, but Australia eventually bagged the series.
Tests: Australia 3 Sri Lanka 0
ODIs: Australia 3 Sri Lanka 2
2004 in Australia
The two-Test series called the Top End Series was scheduled during Australia's off season, in July, in two of the newest venues - Cairns and Darwin. The bowlers called the shots in a low-scoring match in Darwin, starting with Chaminda Vaas' five wicket haul to dismiss Australia for 207. Glenn McGrath's five-for sent Sri Lanka crashing to 97, debutant Lasith Malinga took four to dismiss the home side for 201. Chasing 312, Sri Lanka had no answer to Michael Kasprowicz who took 7 for 39 to register a 149-run win. In Cairns, the batsmen put up a far better show, and Sri Lanka this time hung on to a close draw, ending on a nervous 183 for 8 on the final day.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
The two-Test series called the Top End Series was scheduled during Australia's off season, in July, in two of the newest venues - Cairns and Darwin. The bowlers called the shots in a low-scoring match in Darwin, starting with Chaminda Vaas' five wicket haul to dismiss Australia for 207. Glenn McGrath's five-for sent Sri Lanka crashing to 97, debutant Lasith Malinga took four to dismiss the home side for 201. Chasing 312, Sri Lanka had no answer to Michael Kasprowicz who took 7 for 39 to register a 149-run win. In Cairns, the batsmen put up a far better show, and Sri Lanka this time hung on to a close draw, ending on a nervous 183 for 8 on the final day.
Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0
Kanishkaa Balachandran is an editorial assistant at Cricinfo