da fezbet： Australia’s marks out of ten after their 3-0 defeat in the Tests in Sri Lanka

da bwin： Daniel Brettig18-Aug-20169Mitchell Starc (24 wickets at 15.16)Until Rangana Herath’s final day burst of wickets to complete a 3-0 sweep, Starc was the series’ leading wicket taker by a distance, a remarkable effort in the prevailing conditions. This series was confirmation of his arrival as a mature yet still fiercely-fast Test bowler, now pain-free after ankle and foot surgeries. His evolution has been undoubtedly helped by the presence of Allan Donald on this tour, particularly in reversing the ball from over the wicket in addition to his favoured line from around the stumps. The only member of the touring party to significantly enhance his reputation, even if his batting dropped off alongside the rest of the tail.8Shaun Marsh (153 runs at 76.50)An excellent first-innings century upon returning to the team in the third Test and a decent opening stand with David Warner in the second innings too. Unfortunately Marsh was unable to confound his reputation as the architect of some great one-off innings by dint of his omission until the series had been decided. Nevertheless, Marsh has shored up his spot for the tour of India next year, regardless of what happens in the Tests at home.6Josh Hazlewood (7 wickets at 32.71)Nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary, Hazlewood at least did his job, which was more than could be said for many team-mates. He bowled economically, and took advantage of the only real seam movement available for the series by taking wickets at Pallekele. Offered next to nothing with the bat, but it’s not what he’s in the team for.Steve O’Keefe (3 wickets at 24.66)Was shaping as Australia’s most dangerous spin-bowling option for the series before a hamstring strain sentenced him to an early trip home. If O’Keefe was crestfallen by that moment of misfortune, he at least channeled it into a long, stubborn stay at the crease alongside Peter Nevill to try stave off defeat at Pallekele – his best Test innings. Less edifying was a police report for abusing pub security and refusing to leave the venue on a night out after he returned home.5Mitchell Marsh (163 runs at 27.16 and 2 wickets at 59.00)A series of starts with the bat and some handy spells with the ball offered more evidence – admittedly of the fleeing kind – that Marsh is going to evolve into a cricketer of substance. Annoyed to be foxed by a Lakshan Sandakan googly and bowled at Pallekele, Marsh played the left-arm wristspinner better from that point, though also falling victim to Rangana Herath’s wiles. Still defends with hard hands early in his innings, but progress is being made.Steven Smith ran at Rangana Herath, only to be stumped by Dinesh Chandimal, in Pallekele•Associated Press4Steven Smith (247 runs at 41.16)Played two of the three most substantial Australian innings of the series, but also played the worst shot to get out – a harebrained charge down the wicket at Herath in Pallekele that was both unnecessary at that time and ultimately damaging to Australia’s chances for the whole series. As captain of a team so thoroughly humiliated, Smith maintained his dignity, but did not seem anymore capable of mastering conditions or situations than the men he led. Tactically sound, he could perhaps have bowled more, and certainly caught better.Nathan Lyon (16 wickets at 31.93)Better figures than he returned in the UAE in 2014 are misleading – Lyon needed to assert himself on this tour and was unable to do so. Partly this was because his “spin up” method is best suited to Australia, and partly because sheer unrelenting accuracy eluded him when it was needed. But there was also the sense, evident before, that as a quiet and diffident character, Lyon is happiest as part of a bowling ensemble rather than as the spearhead. At a time when the moment needed seizing, he could not do so.David Warner (163 runs at 27.16)A hard-driving 68 in the final innings of the series shows what Warner could have offered on this tour, had he been able to get through his first few balls at Pallekele. Instead a pair of low scores underlined his lack of match preparation coming into the tour, and thereafter his obvious talent was not accompanied by any sense of permanence at the batting crease. It is now four overseas series since Warner last made a hundred away from home. More is needed from Smith’s lieutenant.Jon Holland (5 wickets at 54.80)So surprised was Holland at his call-up to replace O’Keefe that he had to renew his passport in 24 hours before flying to Sri Lanka. Once he joined the side, Holland struggled to adapt to the method best suited to the pitches, where side spin and skid are more important than overspin and bounce. Even so, Holland improved in Colombo, and in the first innings bowled beautifully. However he was let down in the field and by ill fortune, meaning he had precious few wickets to show for his work. Lacking the confidence those wickets mayhem brought, he then struggled on day four. Should not be ruled out of India.3Adam Voges (118 runs at 19.66)In the words of Tex Perkins, . Voges arrived in Sri Lanka with a Test average of 95.5 and the confident expectation of making runs after playing on a series of slow, low tracks in England with Middlesex. However he managed to get himself out in varying ways across the first two Tests, culminating in a rash of reverse sweeps in Galle. Colombo ended with a textbook lbw dismissal by Herath, the same method by which he very nearly fell to his first ball of the series. Voges’ Test record remains handsome, but he has receded from the Bradman platform to that of a mere Pollock. The selectors must now work out how long they want to keep him on board, and sound out Voges as to his own intentions.Joe Burns (34 runs at 8.50)Like Voges, Burns was out in a variety of ways across the first two Tests, before finding himself dropped for the Colombo Test. He looked at times to be out of his depth, but in the second innings at Pallekele established a decent platform only to cop Sandakan’s best ball of the series. Should the selectors choose to pick a team tailored even further to India than this one was to Sri Lanka, Burns may find himself surplus to requirements, bit it would be harsh to leave him out at home given his successes last summer.Peter Nevill perhaps needs a promotion to build partnerships with other batsmen•AFPPeter Nevill (51 runs at 8.50 and 11 dismissals)One dogged innings at Pallekele, one sneaky smart stumping at the SSC and very little else. Nevill is an admirable cricketer, all hard work and diligence, but he was unable to build scores in Sri Lanka and his keeping showed signs of deterioration as the series went on. Among the biggest issues for Nevill and the selectors is that his busy, correct batting technique looks more batsman-like than his gloveman’s commission at No. 7 – he bats higher up the order for NSW. At the very least a shift above Mitchell Marsh may be needed to allow Nevill the chance to form partnerships with other batsmen.2Moises Henriques (8 runs at 4.00)A puzzling selection for the tour and even more so for the third Test, Henriques took an opportunity that could have been used to let Burns or Khawaja redeem themselves just as Kaushal Silva would go on to do. Henriques is a good tourist, a fine fielder and a mature young man, but his first-class record simply did not warrant inclusion to bat No. 5 in a Test match, and a pair of low scores served only to underline the point.Usman Khawaja (55 runs at 13.75)Before this tour Khawaja inked a new bat contract with Kookaburra, signifying his rise in standing and financial status after a wondrous 2015-16 season. What followed in Sri Lanka was a rapid fall, as four cheap exits and worrying patterns of dismissal had him dropped for the third Test. Perhaps most troubling in all this is the fact that Khawaja was actually one of the more experienced batsmen on tour in respect to Asian conditions – he had toured Sri Lanka in 2011 and then gone to India two years later. A return to the top three in Australia is likely, but he has some serious thinking to do before India next year, if the selectors decide to choose him, that is.