Australia’s two most experienced batters will look to pile on the pain on Sri Lanka when day two of the first Test continues on Thursday on a Galle pitch that has caught the hosts off-guard.
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MATCH CENTRE: Sri Lanka vs Australia first Test scorecard
The Aussies, who elected to bat first, are 2-330 and are scheduled to resume their innings at 3.15pm (AEDT) after rain stopped play 81.1 overs into the opening day. Another rain-interrupted day is forecast on Thursday, with spells of rain expected in the afternoon amid a cloudy and humid day.
Stand-in skipper Steve Smith, who crossed 10,000 runs on Wednesday, stands unbeaten on 104 alongside fellow centurion Usman Khawaja (147*). The pair have put on an unbeaten stand of 195, thwarting the Sri Lankan attack in two wicketless afternoon sessions.
“I’ve played with Aussie teams in the past and we haven’t been able to put pressure on subcontinent teams, particularly when we bat,” Khawaja told reporters after the first day’s play. “But today we definitely put pressure on their bowling, and it showed with how fast we were scoring up until tea when they went more defensive with more legside plans.
“Up until then, we were flying along.”
Smith reaches HISTORIC 10,000 Test runs! | 00:44
Khawaja reached his 16th Test hundred — his maiden ton on Sri Lankan soil — after a 17-match drought since his Ashes century in June 2023. The ton came with a flick off fast bowler Asitha Fernando to the fine leg boundary, a stroke brimming with elegance and relief.
“(Australia coach) Andrew McDonald, even last year, he said to me: ‘I don’t care what happens just make sure you’re on the Sri Lankan tour, I want you on the Sri Lankan tour.’ At that time I was like ‘cool, yep’,” Khawaja said.
Khawaja early on day one played second fiddle in a 92-run opening stand with Travis Head, who smashed 57 off just 40 balls — including 10 fours and one six — to put Sri Lanka on the back foot right away.
Head replaced 19-year-old Sam Konstas as an opener for the Test, with Western Australia’s Josh Inglis selected for his Test debut as a specialist batter at No.5. Inglis is due to bat next, meaning Australian fans should soon get their first look at right-hander at Test level.
Head races to 50 runs against Sri Lanka! | 02:27
“Not deviating from the long-term plan of opening with Travis Head and Khawaja has Australia in a commanding position,” SEN broadcaster Gerard Whateley said on his radio program.
“Head set the tone … Khawaja stayed the course.
“We noted yesterday – the selector’s decision to keep their powder dry on Sam Konstas was unpopular … but it was right for the task at hand.”
Both Smith and Khawaja survived close scares throughout day one, with Sri Lanka grasping a few chances amid several reviews not falling its way.
With three specialist spinners in the Australian XI, the tourists hold all the aces, especially with the pitch expected to deteriorate as the game progresses.
Sri Lanka’s spin bowling coach Piyal Wijetunga conceded most of his team’s day one wounds were self-inflicted, but suggested the Galle wicket was uncharacteristic.
“We’ve got a big task on our hands tomorrow,” Wijetunga told reporters.
Khawaja survives no-review | 00:51
“The wicket is not a usual Galle wicket, it’s on the slower side.
“But you can’t put the blame on the wicket, when the wicket is not helping bowlers then you should look at alternatives. We accept that we did not bowl that well today.”
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