Unwanted by his home state as a young fast bowler, Jackson Bird has made a triumphant return to the SCG as an emerging star for Australia.
Bird (2-14) took the only two Sri Lankan wickets to fall in the opening session of the third Test in Sydney and was desperately unlucky not to have a third.
At lunch Sri Lanka were 2-80 trying to avoid a clean-sweep, with captain Mahela Jayawardene the key man at the crease unbeaten on 30.
Sri Lanka stood up under pressure to start the day and Australia might have been wondering whether their bold plan of bowling first at the SCG was a smart idea.
But when Bird had danger-man Tillakaratne Dilshan caught behind for 34 in his second spell before lunch, Michael Clarke’s decision to send the wounded Sri Lankans in seemed a little more justified.
Bird was then desperately unlucky not to have Lahiru Thirimanne (4no) out first ball when umpire Aleem Dar had no hesitation in giving the newly-arrived batsman out first ball.
But the decision was referred and with the ball swinging too far down leg, Bird was robbed of the chance at a hat-trick.
Bird couldn’t crack the Sheffield Shield team at NSW and headed for Tasmania for an opportunity.
He’s gone on to become the leading domestic wicket-taker for the past two seasons and made his Test debut last week in Melbourne.
Having picked a four-pronged pace attack for the first time in Sydney in more than half a century, captain Clarke decided to send the tourists in with the hope of rushing through their wounded opponents with Bird, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc tearing in.
The SCG has long been thought of as a bat-first wicket, and Australia might have got over-excited at the sight of a green-tinged pitch.
Australia had the chance to put Sri Lanka to the sword early, after Dimuth Karunaratne fell cheaply and Jayawardene edged a very catchable chance to the slips.
But Jayawardene was dropped at second slip by Mike Hussey.
Retiring great Hussey had no problem running back to catch a pop-up from Karunaratne off Jackson Bird, but didn’t seem to pick up Jayawardene’s edge off Siddle’s (0-12) bowling that fired past his left hand.
Clarke said at the toss he was hoping to have the Sri Lankans at least a few down by lunch, but given the Sri Lankans weakened line-up – two wickets down still leaves them vulnerable.
Sri Lanka collapsed badly in the second Test at the MCG last week to lose in two and a half days.
Another thrashing in Sydney seemed possible, with the Sri Lankans’ horrific injury toll including world class batsman Kumar Sangakarra.