Steve Smith didn’t miss the significance of the 163-run loss against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
It was his first series defeat as captain but it’s also the third time in a row Australia has been thrashed in an away series in Asia, including two-nil against Pakistan in the UAE in 2014 and four-nil by India in 2013.
“It’s a hard one to grasp really,” a shell-shocked Smith said.
“It’s been a very tough series again. That is our third straight whitewash loss in the subcontinent.
“What we are doing isn’t working.
“Batters aren’t adapting to the conditions. The spin bowlers aren’t adapting to the conditions.”
Mitchell Starc’s tally of 24 wickets at 15.16 is the highest by a visiting pace bowler in Sri Lanka in a Test series, beating Richard Hadlee’s 1984 mark of 23.
But spinners Nathan Lyon (16 wickets at 31.93) and Jon Holland (five at 54.80) failed to match the dominance of Sri Lanka’s spinners including player-of-the-series Rangana Herath who claimed 28 victims.
“I can’t fault our quicks,” Smith said.
“I thought they did a great job, particularly Mitchell Starc.
“But our batters and spinners are the ones who have to step up and we haven’t been able to do that.”
Herath, batting at No.9, even outscored Australia’s No.4 Adam Voges by one run in the series.
Third-Test century-makers Smith and Shaun Marsh were the only two Australian batsmen who averaged over 30 in the series. Wicketkeeper Peter Nevill averaged 8.50 at No.7.
“We have been outplayed in every facet of the game,” Smith said.
“Our plans haven’t worked as individuals or as a collective group. We haven’t been able to put Sri Lanka under as much pressure as we would have liked.”
Recalled opener Shaun Marsh was a success, in place of Joe Burns who is still a chance to regain his spot for the first Test against South Africa in Perth in November.
No.3 Usman Khawaja, who was also dropped for the Colombo Test, is set to regain his spot in place of Moises Henriques who scored 4 and 4.
Paceman Henriques bowled only two overs in the match.
“He can obviously bowl a little bit. Mitch Marsh is the all-rounder in the team,” Smith said.
Smith said as captain he backed whatever team the selectors gave him.
“In these conditions it is the spinners’ job to get the majority of the wickets as the Sri Lankan spinners did,” Smith said. “We just haven’t been able to do that.”
-heraldsun
-Agencie
