Sport

It’s a Gilchrist show all the way

HOBART: Sri Lanka was 30 without loss in its first innings in reply to Australia’s 542 for five declared when bad light stopped play early on the second day of the second cricket Test on Saturday.

Marvan Atapattu was unbeaten on 18 with Michael Vandort on 12 when they accepted an offer to go off after being sent in to bat in the final session at the Bellerive Oval.

Australia declared shortly after tea with Adam Gilchrist unbeaten on 67 and Andrew Symonds 50 following a whirlwind partnership of 95.

Mike Hussey (132) and Michael Clarke (71) had added 125 for the fourth wicket after Australia had started the day on 329 for three but both departed in quick succession after lunch.

Hussey departed for 132 when he was trapped leg before wicket by Dilhara Fernando. Then Clarke fell for 71 when he was caught by wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene off Lasith Malinga.

Hussey smashed Muralitharan for six before lunch to bring up his 100 partnership with Clarke before the pair fell in quick succession.

Enter Adam Gilchrist.

Gilchrist, batting in a Test for the first time in 10 months, clubbed three sixes and seven boundaries in an unbeaten 67 before Australia declared its innings at 542 for five.

Gilchrist hit consecutive sixes off Muttiah Muralitharan — the second of which went out of Bellerive Oval and disappeared down an adjacent road — to become the first batsman to hit 100 sixes in a Test career. He wants the ball back.

“It’s a not a milestone you set out to achieve, but it’s unique,” Gilchrist said. Sri Lanka was unable to put a halt to Australia’s relentless run feast as Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds went on the rampage.

Gilchrist and Symonds made the most of a flat batting pitch that offered little assistance to the bowlers.

Gilchrist signalled his intentions when he smacked Malinga over the mid-wicket fence for his first six. His second six off Muralitharan sailed over the Bellerive Oval gates and into a nearby street, forcing the umpires to call for a replacement ball.

Gilchrist’s 67 came off just 77 balls, while Symonds finished with an unbeaten 50.

Meanwhile skipper Mahela Jayawardene said, Sri Lanka would be without seamer Farveez Maharoof for the home series against England.

He suffered a left ankle injury while bowling on the opening day of the second Test here. — Agencies

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