In July, Australia began their two-month tour of Sri Lanka where they are taking part in two T20 Internationals, five ODIs and three Test Matches. This is the first time in five years that the Australians have played in a test series in Sri Lanka.
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Finished First Place
In February, the Australian team, led by Steve Smith, went ahead of India to clinch the top spot in the ICC Test Championship table. Sri Lanka found themselves dropping to seventh place following a disappointing season, with the retirement of some of their finest batsmen, Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara.
Only Usman Khawaja, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon played in Australia’s last Test cricket matches in Sri Lanka, where they beat the Black Caps. The side toured the island in August 2011, when Michael Clarke captained the team for the first time in a full series. They emerged victorious with a 1-0 win in the three-match series.
To date, Australia’s record of matches in Sri Lanka is one loss, six draws and six wins out of 13 tests; 3 no results, 13 losses and nine wins out of 25 ODIs; two losses in two T20 Internationals. Australia’s success over the years has inspired many would-be cricketers, as they buy cricket shoes online in the hope that they’ll follow in their footsteps.
Australia Faces Tough Opposition
Even though Sri Lanka have had a poor season, Joe Burns, Australia’s opening batsman, was under no illusion that they could present a number of challenges to the side when playing in their own conditions.
Speaking about the test series, Burns commented that when you’re playing world-class spinners in their own country, it can be a totally different proposition to when you’re playing them on home soil. He is prepared for different game plans, aware that countries have, in the past, set new fields that their opponents haven’t been prepared for. Trying to get the teams out in different ways, they’ll use different tactics that weren’t part of their previous games.
Burns also went on to say there were preconceptions about what the conditions in Sri Lanka would be like, and even though he hadn’t been there before, he’s open-minded and will be looking to improve his game.
