Vandort and weather delay Aussie victory

Michael Vandort gave Australia some harrowing moments, forcing them to sweat it out on another day with a resilient 82...

Michael Vandort gave Australia some harrowing moments, forcing them to sweat it out on another day with a resilient 82 before becoming Stuart MacGill’s 200th Test wicket. Australia were well on the way to winning the first Test within four days, but Vandort, regular rain breaks and bad light denied them a free Monday in Brisbane.

When umpires offered the Sri Lankans the light, the visitors had reached 218/5 with Chamara Silva (5) and Prasanna Jayawardene (0) at the crease. But Australia have nothing to worry about as Sri Lanka needed another 122 runs to make the hosts bat again after being followed on.

Vandort batted through most of the day. Shortly after the final break, his 170-ball stay ended with MacGill ripping a super legbreak out of a slightly rough patch back into Vandort’s off stump.

Scoreboard

Australia (1st innings): 551/4 in 151 overs

Sri Lanka (1st innings): 211 all out in 81.5 overs

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Sri Lanka 2nd innings: S Jayasuriya c Ponting b Lee 39; M Atapattu c Gilchrist b Symonds 16; M Vandort b MacGill 82; D Jayawardene c Gilchrist b Johnson 49; T Samaraweera c Hussey b Johnson 20; L Silva batting 5; H Jayawardene batting 0

Extras: (b 4, lb 3) 7.

Total: (5 wkts in 78 overs) 218

Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-65, 3-167, 4-213, 5-215

Bowling: Lee 16-4-52-1, Johnson 19-5-47-2, Clark 12-3-27-0, Symonds 6-1-21-1, MacGill 25-3-64-1