Steve Smith feels Australian team have a point to prove to themselves and public
With the Warne-Muralitharan series already lost, Aussie captain Steven Smith said that they have a point to prove to themselves and the public when the 3rd Test in Colombo begins. The Australians suffered their 8th consecutive defeat in the subcontinent.
Australia’s inability to survive on spin friendly track was evident one more time as they lost 36 wickets to the spinners. Before the start of the 3rd Test, Smith & co have to do something special to regain some lost pride.
The visitors could last only 501 balls combining two innings in the 2nd Test as they were bamboozled by Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera with their immaculate line and length and prodigious turn. Smith said it was a below-par performance from his side and they will be playing for pride in the 3rd Test and try to prove that they can survive in this alien conditions.
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"We have got to try and prove to ourselves and the public that we can play in these conditions," Smith said.
"I think some of the boys have learned a little bit from the way the Sri Lankan batters have played. We saw a lot of sweep shots from them, reverse sweeps, so I think the guys have learned a little bit from watching them play and having their own plans and courage to implement them out in the middle.
"It's never easy when the ball is spinning and skidding and you don't know which one is which with guys around the bat. It's difficult but I guess you have to have the courage to find the way to do it."
Their main problem has not been the turning ball but the ball which kept straight and went on with the arm. Shaun Marsh had a good outing in Sri Lanka five years ago and is expected that he will be recalled for the 3rd Test after dismal performances by Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja.
Smith even suggested that the selectors must start picking players who are best equipped in spin friendly conditions rather than going on current form. Former Aussie batsman Dean Jones also expressed the same views,
Also read: Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2nd Test Stats: Dilruwan Perera’s Sri Lankan record and Australia’s Asian low
"Yeah, it certainly needs to be looked at. If there are guys that can play spin well in these conditions then it's certainly got to be a chance," Smith said.
"They have got some quality bowlers in their team that get the ball to spin and then skid sharply as well. I guess when the ball does spin sharply it sort of plays on your mind that you might just play outside of one," Smith said.
Angelo Mathews was delighted with his team’s performance and praised his spinners for the exceptional showing.
"They [Australia] look a bit lost when it comes to our spinners. Our spinners have bowled extremely well. They found it a bit hard to score off our spinners," he said.
Sri Lankans will be looking forward to inflicting a whitewash on the mighty Aussies but on the other hand it will require some exceptional determination from the Aussies to restore some pride in the dead rubber at Colombo.