Matthew Hayden struck a superb unbeaten 106 off only 174 balls, as Australia fought back on the third day at Galle
The Wisden Bulletin by Charlie Austin10-Mar-2004Australia 220 and 193 for 2 (Hayden 106*) lead Sri Lanka 381 (Dilshan 104, Jayawardene 68, Warne 5-116) by 32 runs
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Matthew Hayden on the way to his 18th Test century © Getty Images
After two days that belonged emphatically to Sri Lanka, Australia fought backon the third day. Shane Warne was the catalyst, rushing the Sri Lankaninnings to a close in the morning as he claimed 5 for 116 on his return toTest cricket, before Matthew Hayden led the batting effort with his 18thTest hundred. Australia wiped out their 161-run first-innings deficit andfinished the day on a healthy 193 for 2.Australia had a dreadful start to the day, though, as Brett Lee was sent homebecause of his injured ankle and Michael Kasprowicz was sidelined with asprained shoulder, but Warne soon put the smiles back on Australian faces withthe 24th five-wicket haul of his Test career and the first of his secondcoming.Sri Lanka, who had started the day on 352 for 6 with high hopes of posting a200-plus lead, were bowled out for 381. Warne took three of the fourwickets, which fell in the space of just 12 runs.Nevertheless, Australia appeared to be in deep trouble. The highest second-innings score in Galle by any team in the venue’s ten-Test history is just269, and the dusty pitch had clearly deteriorated. But Australia’s openerssoon made amends for their first innings blip, adding 91 for the firstwicket.Hayden rode some luck early as David Shepherd ruled that a gun-barrelstraight Chaminda Vaas delivery had taken the inside edge before striking the pad, when television replays suggested the ball hit the pad first. Thereafter, Hayden dominated, refusing to be cowed into an unnaturally defensive approach by Australia’s perilous position.Justin Langer (32) was less comfortable – especially against MuttiahMuralitharan, his nemesis on the 1999 tour – but he battled hard. HashanTillakaratne, who employed some innovative field positions against bothbatsmen, rotated his spinners around in an increasingly desperate search fora breakthrough.Eventually, he threw the ball to Sanath Jayasuriya, who made an inauspiciousstart with a handful of leg-side deliveries. But Jayasuriya did the trick forSri Lanka, courtesy of some help from the crumbling pitch, as a grass-cuttertrapped Langer plumb lbw (91 for 1).Jayasuriya could also have dismissed Ricky Ponting after a mid-pitch confusion, but he fumbled a throw from Kumar Sangakkara and Ponting, then on 10, regained his ground. The miss proved costly as the pair frustrated Sri Lanka after tea, adding 84 in 160 balls for the second wicket.Fortunately for Sri Lanka, Hayden’s keenness to notch up his century cost Ponting his wicket. Hayden, on 99, tried to pinch a leg-side single but Upul Chandana, Sri Lanka’s speediest fielder, responded with a pouncing pick-up-and-throw from square leg which found Ponting inches short of the crease (175 for 2). Ponting made 28.Hayden eventually reached the milestone with a leg-side clip, and then survived until the close of play, finishing on 106 not out, an innings which included 10 fours and two sixes. Damien Martyn was unbeaten on 10.
Shane Warne celebrates the dismissal of Upul Chandana as Australia enjoy a profitable morning at Galle © Getty Images
In the morning, Sri Lanka were in no hurry, apparently content to leaveAustralia out in the field for as long as possible under a fierce middaysun. Only 17 runs were added in the first hour and all the major activitywas off the field, as Australia’s media manager announced Lee’s unfortunatewithdrawal from the tour.But the action quickened up in the second hour as Warne producing asharp-turning legbreak to dismiss Chandana (27), who feathered a catchto Adam Gilchrist. Stuart MacGill finally captured his first wicket of the innings in his 21st over when Vaas edged to slip for a duck.Warne soon mopped up the tail. First Kumar Dharmasena (6), who could havebeen stumped without scoring had Gilchrist been able to gather a difficultleg-side take, edged another legbreak to slip and Muralitharan (0)helped Warne on to 496 Test wickets as he chipped back a tame return catch.Thilan Samaraweera, batting with a runner because of a torn muscle in hisright groin, was left unbeaten on 36 after a 176-minute vigil at the crease,no doubt ruing the inability of the lower order to give him better support.At the time it appeared to matter little but, after Hayden’s heroics, SriLanka’s 161-run cushion might not be enough.