Related Links : Sri Lanka’s Tour of Australia 2007/08 : Scorecard
Just when everyone thought that the first test would be wrapped up on the fourth day, Michael Vandort came up with a determined knock to help Sri Lanka live another day. He was aided by four rain breaks and bad light stoppages that frustrated the Aussies as they could get just the three wickets in the entire fourth day’s play which saw 56 overs of play.
The Aussies are still in the driver’s seat to win the match as Sri Lanka are at 218 for 5 as the trail behind by 122 more runs. Michael Vandort was dismissed towards the fag end of the day’s play by Stuart MacGill. The wicket of Vandort happened to be the 200th for MacGill who was playing just his 41st Test Match. Vandort (82 from 170 with 10 fours) figured in two good partnerships through the day. He first put on 102 runs for the third wicket with his Skipper Mahela Jayawardene who had made 49 from 119 balls. And then Vandort put on 46 in more than 20 overs with Thilan Samaraweera (20). Before close, Samaraweera too got out, in fact the very next over after Vandort was dismissed. At stumps, Sri Lanka has Chamara Silva on 5 and wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardene on 0.