IF ever the saying “back to the drawing board” was applicable to something, it’s the Australian Test cricket team.
Bamboozled by spin, the Aussies collapsed to their second straight embarrassing defeat, losing a Test series to Sri Lanka for the first time since 1999 and, in doing so, giving the host nation the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy, something it has never won.
The Test means next to nothing to the Sri Lankans, given that the result of the series cannot trains, but it means plenty to several Aussie players, whose careers are hanging by a thread.
Both teams are rated $2.40 chances with Sportsbet.com.au to win the third Test, while the draw is paying $4.20.
The Aussies have been absolutely shocking against a Sri Lankan side’s barrage of spinners.
And the confident opposing captain is already firing shots, despite the Test still being a week away.
“They look a bit lost when it comes to our spinners,” Sri Lankan leader Angelo Mathews said.
“It’s never easy when you’re facing good quality spin on a turner like that.
“We have good quality spinners.
“They know exactly how to bowl on these kinds of wickets.
“Sometimes when we go to overseas conditions we struggle as well.
“They have struggled in the last two games.
“We are not writing them off.
“We want to win three-nil.
“We want to go for it in Colombo as well.“
The Aussies may be eyeing a foreign policy update, with captain Steve Smith with the understatement of the century on whether the side needs to select batsmen who can play spin: “It certainly needs to be looked at”.
Given that spinners took 18 of the 20 wickets to fall in Galle, he might just be right.
“If there are guys that can play spin well in these conditions then it’s certainly got to be a chance,” Smith said.
“It’s been too long now, so whatever we’re doing it’s not working.
“So yeah, there might be a need for some changes.”
After routing Sri Lanka for 117 in the first innings of the series, it looked like this would be a romp for Australia. But they have past 200 just once in four innings and were destroyed for 106 and 183 in Galle.
There was only one man in the entire Australian side who could hold his head high, world class seamer Mitchell Starc, who took 11 wickets on the spinners’ paradise in one of the best fast bowling performances the sub continent has ever seen.
He took 5/44 from 16.1 overs in the first innings, but the spinners lacked penetration and it allowed Sri Lanka to reach 281.
Kusal Mendis, after 170-odd in the first Test, was again the thorn in the Aussies’ side, cracking 86, while Mathews made 54 and Kusal Perera 49.
The Aussies replied with a dismal 106, spun out by the other Perera, Dilruwan (4/29), and Rangana Herath (4/35), who completed a hat trick to rub salt into the wounds.
The innings lasted just 33.2 overs and featured three ducks. David Warner made nearly half of the total, 42 off 41 balls, while Mitch Marsh failed to convert another start, falling for 27.
The Lankans made 237 in the second innings, setting the Aussie an unachievable target of 413 to win.
Kusal Perera was again in the runs, with 64, Mathews stood tall with 47 and Herath managed 26.
Starc again was the destroyer, going one better on his first innings effort with 6/50, but they again got almost nothing out of the spin.
When you’re rolled for 106, 189 looks like a fighting effort, but they still fell 229 runs short, Warner again with 41 off 31 balls, Steve Smith managed 58 and, you guessed it, Marsh got a start with 39, but could not go on with it once again.
Heath bamboozled them on his way to 6/70, while his mate Dilruwan Perera nabbed 2/74 as the two slow bowlers opened the bowling together.
It was a second ugly effort in a row and the Australian side has since been savaged by coach Darren Lehmann – who has only just signed on the dotted line for a new deal to stay on as the national team’s mentor.
“Not up to international standard, the way we played today,” Lehmann said.
“I can’t complain about the preparation from the lads, and the work ethic.
“But it gets down to the pressure in the middle in a Test match, and being able to cope with it and at the moment we haven’t.
“Certainly some blokes have got to have a look at themselves and how they want to go about it in these conditions and how they want to succeed.
“Obviously we’ve talked a good game in the media on how we want to play, but certainly we’re not showing up at the moment.
“We’ve got to make sure we get the players doing what they’re supposed to be doing, and if they’re not then we’ll have to find blokes who are going to.
“I can’t put my finger on it really, it’s up to the players to get out there and do that.
“We give them as much info as we can.”
Careers will be on the line in Colombo.