And on that note, it's been a pleasure covering this Test, despite its truncated nature. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us again for the second and final Test starting next Friday. But till then, for myself, Andrew McGlashan and Binoy George, it's farewell!
Asher: "Bowlers rarely get PotM awards on flat wickets where a batter makes a big hundred. Let's let a bowler have this one"
Shayan: "Just can not believe this a player took 9 wickets and scored 15 runs but MOM goes to 77 run batter.. " Scoring the runs was arguably the tougher of the two tasks on this track, Shayan.
Ine: "Is this the shortest 4th innings." Surprisingly, not even close. As Sampath from stats points out, it doesn't even make the top 10. In fact, Sri Lanka once conceded a target of two runs without bowling a legitimate delivery.
Australia Captain Pat Cummins: "Amazing win. Turning up this morning I didn't think it was going to happen that fast. Really proud of the squad. It's really foreign conditions for us. Although the way everyone played was outstanding. I don't think we were surprised [by the conditions], but we were really clear in our planning, how everyone was going to go about it. I thought the bravery and especially the proactiveness shown by our batters was fantastic. It was really tough, but it was the same for both teams. Totally agree [that the young guys stood up]. Someone like Green has grown up at the WACA and over in Perth it's so different to here. Players go through their whole careers looking for a method in these conditions, and in he's first knock he's found it. Really happy for him, he was the difference."
SL Captain Dimuth Karunaratne: "Yeah [it's a shock]. It's been disappointing, to win the toss and get out for 212 - disappointed as a batting unit. There was something for the bowlers, but our bowlers couldn't hurt the Australians. And they also batted really well. I think as a batting unit, we needed to put our hands up and put up a good score, to put them under pressure. That's what we expect. We've been playing in these conditions, we know how to play turn, but the decisions we took were horrible. We've played with these boys [the spinners] for the last couple of years, I think they're good enough to know how to do their job over here. We bowled well in patches - I think Ramesh bowled really well but the others couldn't support him. When we bat second it's not easy, especially against Lyon who was turning the ball heavily. We just wanted to put pressure on him, and play a couple of shots. The approach was really good, the intention was really good, but I think sometimes we took bad decisions."
Cameron Green is the Man of the Match: "yeah definitely [a special innings]. Playing in the subcontinent you've got a few unknowns, but you've got a lot of experienced guys in the dressing room to help out. Good first game. A few guys said just to be proactive. If you go out there just defending, you get yourself in trouble. Looking to score is how you give yourself the best chance. You're gonna get out at some point so you might as well play some shots."
Alright time for the presentation...
Surath: "You guys didn't publish my comment today morning but it's exactly what I said! Won the toss, failed to bat 90 overs and SL don't deserve to win or draw this game. Aussies did brilliantly well with what they have. Hope to see Theekshana and Wellalage in the next game." Neither Theekshana or Wellalage in the Test squad, Surath.
Shishank Dahiya: "One of Green or Khawaja should get MoM. On a bowlers' wicket makes sense to award it to a batter"
Joydeepsinghgil: "Australia extremely well in Asian conditions this wtc cycle they won the test series from Pakistan first and now over here have levelled the series "
Turns out the is the first time Australia have won a Test match in Sri Lanka where they batted second. All their previous seven Test wins in Sri Lanka came when they batted first.
The presentation should take place shortly.
12.10pm So a comfortable 10-wicket win in the end for Australia, but this will give Sri Lanka a lot to think about. The next Test is in exactly a week, and this Galle surface is unlikely to change too much. Spin will likely be the order of the day once more, and the hosts's spinners will need to take a hard look at how much better the Australian counterparts utilised the conditions. The batters, meanwhile, will also no doubt look at working on plans to counteract the quality spin offered up by their opponents.
Alright we're almost underway on the chase.
