<p>Australia reached 150/3 at the close of the opening day of the second Test, punishing Sri Lanka after the visitors had failed to build on Kumar Sangakkara's landmark half-century and were dismissed for just 156 on Wednesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Openers Ed Cowan and David Warner charged to 95 without loss but Sri Lanka checked the hosts with three quick wickets following the drinks break in the final session at a sunbathed Melbourne Cricket Ground.<br /><br />The mini-revival stalled, however, with two demoralising dropped catches late in the day that allowed Australia captain Michael Clarke (20 batting) and Shane Watson (13 batting) to survive a watchful final hour to stumps.<br /><br />Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first in glorious sunshine, but barring Sangakkara's elegant 58, which saw him notch his 10,000th Test run, the tourists suffered a calamitous bout of stage-fright in front of a huge Boxing Day crowd of 67,000.<br /><br />Only quick wickets in the morning session of day two may save Sri Lanka, with the MCG's drop-in pitch expected to flatten out in the sun and offer less for bowlers.<br /><br />After dismissing Sri Lanka just before tea, swashbuckling opener David Warner got Australia off to a flying start, blasting eight fours and a massive six over long on off the bowling of seamer Chanaka Welegedera. Warner despatched Sri Lanka's pace trio to all corners of the ground before all-rounder Angelo Mathews ended his innings at 62 when he belted a pull shot straight to Dhammika Prasad in front of the rope at deep mid-wicket.<br /><br />That precipitated a minor collapse, with number three batsman Phillip Hughes run out for 10 and Cowan caught behind for 36 six balls later.<br /><br />Hughes fell in farcical circumstances, failing to leave his crease as Cowan charged through for a single after poking the ball to midwicket.<br /><br />The misjudgement allowed the fielding Tillakaratne Dilshan enough time to fumble the ball before whipping it back to the stumps where replacement wicket-keeper Sangakkara whipped off the bails.<br /><br />Cowan soon brought about his own downfall with an indiscriminate swipe at a Prasad delivery that flew into the welcoming hands of Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.<br /><br />Sri Lanka failed to maintain the momentum, however, with Dilshan dropping a sharp chance off Clarke in close, with the in-form Australia captain on six. Watson, on five, edged a catch behind the wicket off the bowling of Welegedara, but Sangakkara spilled the diving chance.<br /><br />SRI LANKA (I Innings):<br />Karunaratne c Wade b Bird 5 <br />Dilshan b Johnson 11 <br />Sangakkara c Wade b Johnson 58<br />M J’dene c Wade b Siddle 3<br />Samaraweera c Warner b Bird 10<br />Mathews c Hussey b Siddle 15<br />P J’dene c Hughes b Johnson 24<br />Prasad c Wade b Johnson 0<br />Herath c Hussey b Lyon 14<br />Eranga (not out) 4<br />Welegedera c Hussey b Lyon 0<br />Extras (LB-5, NB-7) 12<br />Total (all out, 43.4 overs) 156 <br />Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-19, 3-37, 4-79, 5-99, 6-134, 7-134, 8-147, 9-156.<br />Bowling: Johnson 14-2-63-4, Bird 13-5-32-2, Siddle 8-1-30-2, Watson 3-2-3-0, Lyon 5.4-0-23-2. <br />AUSTRALIA (I Innings):<br />Warner c Prasad b Mathews 62<br />Cowan c M J’dene b Prasad 36<br />Hughes (run out) 10<br />Watson (batting) 13<br />Clarke (batting) 20 <br />Extras (B-2, W-5, NB-2) 9<br />Total (for 3 wkts, 39 overs) 150<br />Fall of wickets: 1-95, 2-117, 3-117.<br />Bowling: Welegedara 11-4-36-0, Eranga 10-2-53-0, Prasad 8-1-39-1, Mathews 4-2-9-1, Herath 6-1-11-0.</p>
<p>Australia reached 150/3 at the close of the opening day of the second Test, punishing Sri Lanka after the visitors had failed to build on Kumar Sangakkara's landmark half-century and were dismissed for just 156 on Wednesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Openers Ed Cowan and David Warner charged to 95 without loss but Sri Lanka checked the hosts with three quick wickets following the drinks break in the final session at a sunbathed Melbourne Cricket Ground.<br /><br />The mini-revival stalled, however, with two demoralising dropped catches late in the day that allowed Australia captain Michael Clarke (20 batting) and Shane Watson (13 batting) to survive a watchful final hour to stumps.<br /><br />Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first in glorious sunshine, but barring Sangakkara's elegant 58, which saw him notch his 10,000th Test run, the tourists suffered a calamitous bout of stage-fright in front of a huge Boxing Day crowd of 67,000.<br /><br />Only quick wickets in the morning session of day two may save Sri Lanka, with the MCG's drop-in pitch expected to flatten out in the sun and offer less for bowlers.<br /><br />After dismissing Sri Lanka just before tea, swashbuckling opener David Warner got Australia off to a flying start, blasting eight fours and a massive six over long on off the bowling of seamer Chanaka Welegedera. Warner despatched Sri Lanka's pace trio to all corners of the ground before all-rounder Angelo Mathews ended his innings at 62 when he belted a pull shot straight to Dhammika Prasad in front of the rope at deep mid-wicket.<br /><br />That precipitated a minor collapse, with number three batsman Phillip Hughes run out for 10 and Cowan caught behind for 36 six balls later.<br /><br />Hughes fell in farcical circumstances, failing to leave his crease as Cowan charged through for a single after poking the ball to midwicket.<br /><br />The misjudgement allowed the fielding Tillakaratne Dilshan enough time to fumble the ball before whipping it back to the stumps where replacement wicket-keeper Sangakkara whipped off the bails.<br /><br />Cowan soon brought about his own downfall with an indiscriminate swipe at a Prasad delivery that flew into the welcoming hands of Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.<br /><br />Sri Lanka failed to maintain the momentum, however, with Dilshan dropping a sharp chance off Clarke in close, with the in-form Australia captain on six. Watson, on five, edged a catch behind the wicket off the bowling of Welegedara, but Sangakkara spilled the diving chance.<br /><br />SRI LANKA (I Innings):<br />Karunaratne c Wade b Bird 5 <br />Dilshan b Johnson 11 <br />Sangakkara c Wade b Johnson 58<br />M J’dene c Wade b Siddle 3<br />Samaraweera c Warner b Bird 10<br />Mathews c Hussey b Siddle 15<br />P J’dene c Hughes b Johnson 24<br />Prasad c Wade b Johnson 0<br />Herath c Hussey b Lyon 14<br />Eranga (not out) 4<br />Welegedera c Hussey b Lyon 0<br />Extras (LB-5, NB-7) 12<br />Total (all out, 43.4 overs) 156 <br />Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-19, 3-37, 4-79, 5-99, 6-134, 7-134, 8-147, 9-156.<br />Bowling: Johnson 14-2-63-4, Bird 13-5-32-2, Siddle 8-1-30-2, Watson 3-2-3-0, Lyon 5.4-0-23-2. <br />AUSTRALIA (I Innings):<br />Warner c Prasad b Mathews 62<br />Cowan c M J’dene b Prasad 36<br />Hughes (run out) 10<br />Watson (batting) 13<br />Clarke (batting) 20 <br />Extras (B-2, W-5, NB-2) 9<br />Total (for 3 wkts, 39 overs) 150<br />Fall of wickets: 1-95, 2-117, 3-117.<br />Bowling: Welegedara 11-4-36-0, Eranga 10-2-53-0, Prasad 8-1-39-1, Mathews 4-2-9-1, Herath 6-1-11-0.</p>