Murphy's four: Offie spins Aus A into strong position

Victorian off-spinner Todd Murphy has put Australia A in a strong position on a good day for the visitors' bowlers. 

The 21-year-old, playing in just his third first-class match took the very impressive figures of 4-52 from 19 overs before bad light stopped play early on day two in Hambantota. 

After the Sri Lanka A openers got off to a fast start, Murphy took the first two wickets of the innings, first Minod Bhanuka lbw for 11 and then captain Kamindu Mendis bowled for a duck. 

Image Id: 9EDBB4E4C7994B9AAF297F2180B67F77 Image Caption: Todd Murphy celebrates bowling Sri Lanka A captain Kamindu Mendis for a duck // SLC

As the light was fading, he returned and struck twice in the 69th, capping a fine day that saw Sri Lanka finish on 8-250, still training Australia A by 129 runs. 

Murphy's only other two first-class matches have been in the Sheffield Shield; he played one match in 2020-21 and one match in the recently completed 2021-22 season.

On the day he was called up to the Australian ODI squad, left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann also had a fine day with the ball. 

A 93-run partnership between Nuwanidu Fernando (86 off 140) and Lahiru Udara (50 off 62) threatened to get out of hand, but Kuhnemann removed both set batters in the space of four overs. 

Both right handers, both were caught at first slip by Matthew Renshaw, although the first one off Udara required several bites at the cherry from the tall batter. 

Nathan McAndrew, fresh off his highest first-class score of 92 in Australia A's first-innings 379, picked up the wicket of Pabasara Waduge who edged to Travis Head in the cordon.

The other wicket of the day went to Mark Steketee, who trapped Sadeera Samarawickrama on the crease and was lbw for 29. 

Kuhnemann and Head will now leave Hambantota for Kandy, where they will link up with the national one-day squad. 

In their place comes leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson. 

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, 2022

Sri Lanka T20 squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan. Standby: Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade

June 7: Australia won by 10 wickets

June 8: Australia won by three wickets

June 11: Sri Lanka won by four wickets

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Niroshan Dickwella, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 14: First ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST

June 16: Second ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST

June 19: Third ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 21: Fourth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 24: Fifth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

Sri Lanka Test squad (provisional): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohamed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshitha Rasanjana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suminda Lakshan

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 29 - July 3: First Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

All Sri Lanka v Australia international fixtures will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports

Australia A fixtures

Australia A squad: Scott Boland, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee

Sri Lanka A one-day squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Udara, Lasith Croospulle, Oshada Fernando, Pabasara Waduge, Kamindu Mendis, Ashen Bandara, Janitha Liyanage, Sahan Arachchi, Pulina Tharanga, Dunith Wellalage, Dananjaya Lakshan, Shiran Fernando (will not play due to injury), Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Nishan Madushka, Ashen Daniel,Nisala Tharaka

June 8: Australia A won by seven wickets

June 10: Sri Lanka A won by four wickets

June 14-17: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota

June 21-24: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota