There have been a few positives to come out from the test series. The debut series for Trent Copeland and Nathan Lyon have gone fine. Barring Lyon's fiver in the first innings at Galle, combined they didn't set the series alight. They however didn't look like fish out of water.When Nathan Lyon was picked for this tour, I feared for the guy. Here was someone possibly making his debut in Sri Lanka and having to bowl against the likes of Sangakkara , Dilshan and Jayawadene on their home turf. To then come away with 8 wickets ( five of them admittedly in one innings) and going touch over 3 rpo wasn't bad returns. What needs to be kept in mind is that he had only 8 first class games, and a few ODI games with Australia A prior to this tour. He was in other terms, a virtual greenhorn. Sincerely hope the selectors stick with the guy and give him an extended run.
Trent Copeland is the sort of seamer Australia were missing for a while. Someone who could lock an end up to offer the captain a semblance of control when having Mitchell Johnson spray his stuff around. Bowling in the mid to late 120 kmph, his strength is the line and length he consistently bowled. On the flat decks in Sri Lanka he showed excellent control. To come away with 6 wickets, and conceding just over 2 rpo makes for decent return. What was impressive to note was that his line and length didn't seem to waver at any time. He also showed that he was no rabbit with the bat, and is more than a handy fielder. So much so, he was seen fielding at short cover, and at slips at various stages of the series. Would be interesting to see how the South African's play him. With his control of line and length, would make for interesting viewing. He might just have the sort of series Stuart Clark had in 2006.
Was chuffed to see that Shaun Marsh made his test debut and for at least the South African series seem to have sealed the #3 spot. Made an excellent start to his test career with a century on debut and carried on the good form in the third test. Ideally though would like to see him opening the innings for Australia. Which is where things got a bit complex with the Phil Hughes century in the second innings. He could well have been playing for his place in the X1 and with that century has surely sealed his opening spot for the Protea's tour.
The test series was however disappointing for Watson and Ponting. Both seemed to get starts during the series but neither of them went on to make that big score. Ponting showed good form in the first few ODI's and expected him to have a decent test series. Which didn't happen. Watson carried on from his Ashes series form, where in he got starts in most innings only to throw it away. Watson for me is wasted at the openers position. Ideally he should go back to #6 spot. However, both him and Clarke made it amply clear that it wasn't going to happen any time soon.
Mitchell Johnson, for someone who was the most experienced , it was another dire series. Never seemed to look like bagging wickets, and am not sure he deserves a place in the playing eleven any more. Hardly contributing with the bat, misfiring with the ball, Australia cannot afford to carry passengers when they are trying to get back into winning mode. Brad Haddin was another player who had a horrible tour. Australia took a major gamble by only selecting one specialist keeper and were lucky he didn't suffer injuries. With the bat he hardly contributed all tour but he is safe in the knowledge that Tim Paine is only coming back from injury.
It was great to see that Michael Hussey carried on his fine form from the Ashes series. Two hundreds, and two scores of 90 in five completed innings made for a superb series with the bat. His form is now going to put serious pressure on Ricky Ponting to justify his selection in the team. No small praise also to the efforts of Ryan Harris in the first two tests. 11 wickets in two tests, with a fiver in the second innings a Galle securing the all important test win. It's a shame that the knees would mean that a shortened test career is all but a given for the large hearted Harris.
Overall though, it was good to see Australia get back into some form of winning ways. The test at Galle on that pitch was a major challenge and thanks to winning the toss, they came through that test. It was slightly disappointing that even with over 100 overs at Kandy they couldn't get the win for a convincing series win. They had their backs to the wall at Colombo, but thanks to some doggedness, a placid pitch and some flaccid Sri Lankan bowling, they secured the draw.
Positive signs, yes. Tempered positive signs though.Their series in South Africa will show if this is a turn in the right direction or another false awakening.
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