Cricket-Sri Lanka's Karunaratne learns lesson in eventful test debut
The 22-year-old, who arrived in Canberra early on Thursday morning, got a call to join the squad for the second and final test against Australia as a replacement for paceman Lahiru Kumara, who had to return home due to injury ahead of the match at the Manuka Oval. Karunaratne looked unlikely to win his first Sri Lanka cap but was drafted into the playing team after fast bowler Suranga Lakmal failed to recover from a stiff back.
He could not have hoped for a better start to his test career, however, when he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne caught behind for six with his fourth delivery. That dismissal reduced Australia to 28-3 after the hosts had won the toss and opted to bat.
Yet Sri Lanka did not have much joy during the rest of the opening day as Joe Burns and Travis Head then smashed big hundreds and forged a mammoth fourth-wicket stand of 308 to help Australia reach 384-4 at the close. Karunaratne was milked for 87 runs in his 14 overs with no further success in the day.
"The ball was moving around a little bit in the morning," Karunaratne told reporters. "After the first session it got flatter and slow. The areas we bowled were short and we need to rectify that. We bowled a boundary ball every over. "I gave away too much runs and am not happy with it. It wasn't my best. I am hoping to do better tomorrow.
"Inexperience was an issue but we cannot give excuses. When you're representing your country you have to give a hundred percent. You can't say it's because of inexperience." Karunaratne took a roundabout route to test-level cricket as the sport was not his first love.
The Colombo-born cricketer is the youngest of four siblings who has represented Sri Lanka in badminton. "Three years ago I was a national number two," he said. "All my family has played badminton, I am the youngest in the family. Yeah, badminton is my first sport." (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Toby Davis)
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- READ MORE ON:
- Chamika Karunaratne
- Lahiru Kumara
- Bowling (cricket)
- Mitchell Starc
- CAC Allrounder
- Electric battery
- India national cricket team
- Suranga Lakmal
- Canberra Airport
- University of Canberra
- The Canberra Times
- At Home
- Home Alone
- Home Bargains
- Knight Squad
- Bite Squad
- Odd Squad
- Sri Lanka
- Ella- Sri Lanka
- Flag of Sri Lanka
ALSO READ
Bihari community in US celebrates Bihar Diwas with a commitment to development for their home state
"Common man did not gain anything from BJP govt": Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara
Athletics-Ujah recalled to Britain's relay squad after serving doping ban
Congress nurtured Article 370 like its baby for 70 years, PM Modi scrapped it: Union Home Minister Amit Shah at rally in UP's Moradabad
Sports News Roundup: Warriors' win, Kings' loss tightens play-in race; Capitals cannot afford home loss to Lightning and more