Darren Lehmann highly disappointed with Australia's poor show

Australian coach Darren Lehmann has slammed his team’s “disappointing” performance as visitors face the prospect of a series loss on day three of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Australia had a terrible day at Galle on day two. Resuming at the overnight score of 54/2, the Australian were rocked by the spin bowling pair of Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera who shared eight wickets between them to fold them up for just 106. Sri Lanka then added 237 in the 3rd innings to set a lead of 400 runs. Australians at the moment are reeling at 78/4 and have a mountain of runs to climb before they can set a target. And, logically, there seems no possibility of them doing so.

Lehmann said serious questions would have to be asked about Australia’s continued sub-par performances in the subcontinent.

“Disappointing,” Lehmann told the media on Friday (August 5) of Australia’s second-day performance. “Not up to international standard, the way we played today. I can’t complain about the preparation from the lads and the work ethic. But it gets down to the pressure in the middle in a Test match, and being able to cope with it and at the moment we haven’t.

“Certainly, some blokes have got to have a look at themselves and how they want to go about it in these conditions and how they want to succeed,” he added. “Obviously we’ve talked a good game in the media on how we want to play, but certainly, we’re not showing up at the moment.”

Lehmann, who recently signed a contract extension until 2019, delivered a blunt message to Australia’s under performing players on subcontinent pitches. “We’ve got to make sure we get the players doing what they’re supposed to be doing, and if they’re not then we’ll have to find blokes who are going to,” he said. “Obviously we’ve talked a good game in the media (about) how we want to play (prior to this series starting), but certainly we’re not showing up at the moment.

“I can’t put my finger on it really, it’s up to the players to get out there and do that,” he added. “We give them as much info as we can. They know what they want to do, it’s about having the belief to do it on the ground. That’s the thing about succeeding in Test match cricket, and especially here on the subcontinent.”

Facing the prospect of their eighth straight Test loss away against subcontinent teams, Lehmann said Australia must “stop the rot”.

“Results would say we haven’t moved on,” he said. “It’s pretty simple. We’ve had lots of people who have played in the subcontinent help us out, successful players. It’s not as if they (the players) haven’t got the knowledge or the know-how to do it. It’s out on the ground, under the pressure.”

Nathan Lyon, Australia’s leading spinner, has been in the spotlight after continued struggles in Asia, where he has taken just 35 wickets at 44.42 from nine Tests. Lehmann said Lyon must “improve” ahead of Australia’s crunch four-Test series in India early next year.

“Nathan Lyon’s experience has been very good for us over a period of time, but his record in the subcontinent is not great,” he said. “And (Jon) Holland is playing his first game so he’s going to be a little bit nervous, and we give him some leeway there.

“But at the end of the day (Sri Lanka’s) spinners have certainly out-bowled our spinners, no doubt whatsoever,” he added.