Galle: Sri Lanka will bank on their spinners in the first Test against Australia starting on Wednesday in Galle, a pitch historically favouring turn, but the visitors’ debutant bowlers may cause trouble to the hosts’ batsmen.

Both nations, playing a Test against each other for the first time since 2004, lack in bowling quality they once had in the likes of Australia’s Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne and world record wicket-taker Muttiah Muralidharan and Chaminda Vaas.        

Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson and Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis have bowled impressively in patches in the past, but other bowlers are yet to show they can consistently take wickets.        

Australia outperformed Sri Lanka in the five-match one-day series 3-2, despite pacer Lasith Malinga’s hat-rick in the last ODI.

The absence of Malinga from Test cricket may be a relief for Michael Clarke’s team, but Sri Lanka still arguably have the edge in spin with Ajantha Mendis, Suraj Randiv, and Rangana Herath, who collectively have played 46 Test matches.        

They also have the advantage of uncapped spinner Seekuge Prasanna who bagged three for 32 in his one-day debut against Australia.

Galle’s wicket has historically has been a slow one with Muralidharan being the highest wicket taker with 111 to his name in just 15 Tests.

Mendis and Herath have taken 21 and 10 wickets, respectively in four matches apiece.

Australia will rely on uncapped spinner Nathan Lyon and Michael Beer, who had just played one Test match against England, capturing only one wicket.

Clarke also has been a useful part time left-arm orthodox spinner.

“I think the wickets are going to spin a fair bit… how you play spin bowling is going to play a big part in the success of either team over here,” Clarke told reporters after the final one-day match.