#australian-pace-bowling

#australian-pace-bowling

Australia's innings began shakily at 82-4, but a partnership between Mooney and McGrath steadied the ship, leading to a total of 269-7 after 50 overs.

Late on Friday morning, after the entire playing surface had spent most of the preceding few days shrouded in plastic sheeting, the sun broke out. The covers were peeled back and the ground staff a huge team of about 70 people, those covers don't move themselves set about trundling their roller slowly across a fresh pitch at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The bad weather had lifted and, finally, work could begin.

Have you ever accurately predicted what will happen on a cricket pitch before the ball has been bowled? It's an incredible feeling. That moment when you glance at the field, remember who's on strike and think: Here comes the short ball, only for it to arrive, be pulled and then safely pouched by the fielder you had mentally circled at deep square. For a split second you feel omniscient. Like you've cracked the code.