The series was drawn 1-1, with sudden collapses on the final day of play in both Tests.
Summary of all Tests between these teams:
While Australia leads 20-5 overall, it leads only by 7-5 in Sri Lanka. And Sri Lanka trails 13-0 in Australia.
Coming to individual performances;
Batting:
Most runs (500 or more):
Headed by M Hussey with 994 with Ponting and M Jayawardene close behind. Mathews (692) and Chandimal (579) have the most runs among current players.
The most centuries are 5 by Hussey, and the most 50+ scores are 8 by Clarke, Ponting and Sangakkara.
Highest innings (125 or more):
Chandimal’s 206* in the second Test is the highest for SL v Aus, surpassing Sangakkara’s 192 in Aus in 2007 and Kusal Mendis’s 176 in SL in 2016. This was a reatively low-scoring series, with the only other score of note being 145* by SPD Smith.
Highest batting averages (Minimum 20 innings, all instances):
Headed by Ponting and Sangakkara. The current players have not played enough.
Highest strike rates (Minimum 1000 balls faced and 40.00):
Headed by ST Jayasuriya and Hayden. Chandimal and Mathews are the only current players here.
Bowling:
Most wickets (12 or more):
Headed by R Herath with 66, followed by the better-known Warne and Muralidaran. Starc and Lyon have the most among current players. Newcomer P Jayasuriya makes this list after only one Test. The most 5-fors are 6 by Herath and Starc, and 10wms 2 by Starc and Warne.
Best innings bowling (6wi or more):
Headed by Kasprowicz and R Herath. P Jayasuriya’s 6-59 and 6-118 came on his debut.
Best match bowling (9wm or more):
Headed by R Herath’s 13-wicket haul in 2016 and P Jayasuriya’s 12 on debut in the second Test here.
That was the best match figures for any Sri Lankan player on debut. This is covered in more detail here:
Best bowling averages (Minimum 2000 balls bowled, all instances):
Headed by Herath and Warne, with Muralidaran just making the cut.
Herath has the best average and strike rate, while Vaas has the best economy rate. Muralidaran was relatively less successful against Australia.
To be continued.
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