No room for complacency, Australia skipper warns

Friday, 1 February 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc turning out for Australia. DEspite Starc's struggles, skipper Tim Paine backed him to deliver and said he would open the bowling as usual

Canberra, AFP: Australia skipper Tim Paine warned Thursday there was no room for complacency after sticking with the same side for the second Test against Sri Lanka as the one that thrashed them in Brisbane.

The home team routed the visitors by an innings and 40 runs under lights at the Gabba and Paine pointed to their recent experience against India, where Australia won a Test in Perth only to be comprehensively beaten in Melbourne.

“We touched on how we had a great win in Perth against India. I thought we turned up pretty poorly and really flat in Melbourne and started that Test match pretty ordinarily,” Paine said. “And then you get a good side like India in front of you and we couldn’t reel them back in. It’s just been making sure our attitude to this Test is spot on and we’re leaving nothing to chance.” On the back of the Brisbane thumping, Australia have opted to make no changes for the second Test in Canberra starting Friday against a Sri Lankan team struggling with injuries and off-field dramas.

That includes keeping the under-performing Mitchell Starc as a new-ball bowler.

“We’re unchanged which is nice,” Paine said ahead of the first-ever Test in the nation’s capital, at picturesque Manuka Oval on a track regarded as one of the best batting wickets in the country. “Coming off a good win we are happy with our combination.”

Limited-overs specialist Marcus Stoinis was added to the squad after Brisbane as a potential fifth bowling option, but Paine said