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Gets tougher for Aussies in Galle: Smith

Australia need to come up with a plan to combat Sri Lanka's slow bowlers - and fast following Saturday's 108-run thumping by Sri Lanka.

The good news for Australia is they don't have to wait long to rebound from their first Test flop; the bad news is it's probably only going to get harder.

Steve Smith's No.1-ranked side were humbled by 106 runs in the first Test in Kandy on Saturday in just their second loss to Sri Lanka in 27 matches.

Few saw it coming - Australia hadn't lost a Test in a year and an inexperienced and relatively unproven Sri Lanka were coming off a dismal tour of England.

What a difference being back home makes.

While Kusal Mendis can take all the credit for resurrecting Sri Lanka's hopes with his brilliant second-innings 176, it was their spinners who started and finished the job.

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Australia made totals of 203 and 161, not enough to win anywhere in the world.

Australia's batsmen were outwitted mainly by the hosts' two left-armers who are at opposing ends of their Test careers.

Rangana Herath, the 38-year-old 71-Test finger spinner led the way, taking match figures of 9-103 with a mix of deliveries that either spin or skid.

In his debut, 25-year-old wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan bagged match figures of 7-107.

His wrong'un fooled the Australians, and some of his stock balls spun a long way - Joe Burns can attest to that.

Skipper Steve Smith isn't hiding from his side's deficiencies against the spinners - Australia have now lost seven away Tests in a row against subcontinental teams.

The latest defeat added to a 2-0 series defeat to Pakistan in 2014 in the UAE - also on typically dry, turning wickets - and a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of India 18 months earlier.

"It is disappointing," said Smith.

"I said before the game that we haven't played well in subcontinent conditions for quite a while now. It's something that under my captaincy I want to change."

Smith and his teammates will need to move quickly to avoid going down 2-0 and relinquishing the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy given Galle is regarded as being the biggest turning and fastest wearing pitch of the three Test venues.

"From the batters point of view we need to find a way to be successful in these conditions," he said.

"We let the spinners into the game a lot more than we probably should have.

"We have got to find a way to play that a lot better (in the second Test) in Galle."

"Galle is the biggest spinning place here in Sri Lanka, or so we've been told so it's going to play a big part again."


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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