Pat Cummins demolishes Sri Lanka handing Australia a big win

Sri Lanka crashed to a disgraceful defeat by an innings and 40 runs as they were shot out for 139 runs in their 2nd innings of the 1st Test against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. Pat Cummins ended up with a match-bag of 10 wickets winning the man of the match award.

Pat Cummins who removed Dimuth Karunaratne off the last delivery bowled yesterday, once again wrecked Sri Lanka dismissing skipper Dinesh Chandimal for a duck early on in the day. Chandimal batting at number 3 was caught by Kurtis Patterson at gully as the 2nd delivery of the first Pat Cummins over of the day climbed up quickly and steeply to take the shoulder of the bat.

Read More: Lakmal leads fightback but Karunaratne falls off last ball

Kusal Mendis edged a drive in the first delivery of the very next Pat Cummins over as he was dismissed for 1 run leaving Sri Lanka reeling on 19/3. Roshen Silva managed to delay Australia’s 4th wicket batting out 22 deliveries dangerously.

Few overs after Thirimanne successfully challenged an LBW decision given against him, for the 2nd time in the match, off the bowling of Nathan Lyon, Roshen Silva was dismissed by Pat Cummins. Silva was enticed to drive brilliantly by Cummins, setting up the batsman with a smart mixture of balls.

Photos: Sri Lanka Vs Australia 1st Test – Day 3

Sri Lanka’s best partnership of the innings came after that dismissal as Thirimanne was joined by Dhananjaya de Silva for a 34-run partnership for the 5th wicket. Interestingly the only boundary of the 2nd innings for Sri Lanka came off Thirimanne’s bat during that partnership, that too off an edge.

After battling really hard for more than 40 deliveries, De Silva received a brilliant delivery from Jhye Richardson as he was clean bowled for a hard-fought 14 in the penultimate over before the break. Niroshan Dickwella joined Thirimanne to see off the last over before tea as Sri Lanka ended the session on 74/5, 105 runs behind the Aussies.

Come the 2nd session, settled Thirimanne and in-form Dickwella were left with so much expectations because not much batting was left in for Sri Lanka. Unfortunately Thirimanne’s fighting knock came to an end in the most unlikely way, a controversial decision by the 3rd umpire.

Out! There’s a spike on Snicko and Thirimanne is gone. Pat Cummins has a five-for!

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Thirimanne reviewed the on-field decision for a caught-behind and was apparently not out as hotspot and ultra-edge snicko showed. But, raising questions 3rd umpire Englishman Michael Gough stayed with the on-field decision saying the spike on snicko being a frame after the video is enough evidence to back up the on field decision.

It was Pat Cummins’ fifth wicket and 4th 5-wicket haul in his Test career. Dickwella then added 30 more runs with Dilruwan Perera for the 7th wicket batting for almost 10 overs before he pulled a short ball straight to the hands of Marcus Harris fielding near the umpire behind square.

Following Dickwella’s dismissal for 24 runs Patterson held on to a stunning catch to dismiss Dilruwan giving Cummins his 6th wicket.

Read More: Lahiru Kumara to miss rest of the tour

Towards the end of the innings Suranga Lakmal provided some entertainment with 3 boundaries before he fell as the last Sri Lankan wicket for 24. Lahiru Kumara didn’t turn up to bat due to an injury.

Australia now lead the 2-match series 1-0 with this win, which is just their 2nd win of the summer. Sri Lanka will carry their winless record in Tests in Australia for the 2nd Test starting on the 1st of February in Canberra.