[PICTURES/VIDEO] Australia tour of Sri Lanka (2025)

[topspin]

Could be but he wasn't captaining Australia though. He's still Pakistan's most successful captain. If Smith and Misbah had the same XI, Misbah would come out on top.

Misbah is definitely more honest after sandpaper gate. I’ll give him that.

 

[sweep_shot]

Aussies may get a big win here.

Can Usman get his first double hundred? Good opportunity.

 

[mominsaigol]

Smith's career was never in doubt. He's Australia's greatest batter ever, only behind the Don.

He hit 3 fifty plus scores in that brief period where you considered him out of form.

The thing is though, you being an Australian cricket follower, know that his board and fans back him. Smith, in the Australian setup simply doesn't have pressure that Babar has to face in the Pakistani setup. Apples and oranges.

Babar's been under the knife for 2 years. Let's try backing him instead of over criticizing and hopefully he too can get back into form.

Pressure?

They literally kicked smith out of t20 and had he not scored 2 back to back centuries aus managment was planning t9 force him to retire either after wtc or Ashes?

It's only now after his form back they want him to surpass pointings run tally and century tally?

While babar gets free rides 24/7 in the team..he got dropped once vs England only.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Please stay on topic. This thread is not about Babar or Misbah... no more irrelevant stuff now

 

[BouncerGuy]

Smith nearing 150 and Khawaja nearing 200 now... Superb stuff from these 2... continuing where they left yesterday...

AUS 399/2 atm

 

[Hitman]

Smith is dismissed after Sri Lanka reviews. Brilliant innings.

 

[mominsaigol]

35th 100 for the man

 

[BouncerGuy]

Great inning came to an end at 141... Smith you beauty...

 

[followed]

Lol what a disgraceful pitch. I m so glad Pakistan stopped preparing GT roads like this.
3 day tests are so much better than this boring highway pitches.

 

[mominsaigol]

Lol what a disgraceful pitch. I m so glad Pakistan stopped preparing GT roads like this.
3 day tests are so much better than this boring highway pitches.

Their is turn on this pitch bhai. Sri Lanka are bowling poorly that's it.

Genuinely their osnt any pther reason. Just because a team scores 400 to 500 doesn't mean it's an easy pitch.

Australia scored 400 something against India in bgt does that mean the pitch was flat? Especially when india got bowled put for 156?

Wait until sri lanka bats, they'll collapse easily.

 

[mominsaigol]

Could be but he wasn't captaining Australia though. He's still Pakistan's most successful captain. If Smith and Misbah had the same XI, Misbah would come out on top.

Are you kidding? Smith avg 66 as a captain.

Steve smith and Younis Khan in the same 11 would murder misbah 11 into next week since you're replacing misbah with Steve smith and that's the only change you're making for these 2 sides.

If they play in Australia or England (Wtc) smith would demolish misbah, it's only in uae where it could go either way but you have yk and smith 2 masters in rank turners.

Get your head out and stop fam buying for the sake of it.

misbah being the best statistical test captain for pakistan post imran Khan doesn't mean that he's godly for aus standards.

He's bang avg for aus standards..in Australia good captains like smith aren't good enough cause their standards are high case in point pat Cummins who is the best captain of this era.

 

[BouncerGuy]

A maiden Test double ton … and the first by any Australian in Sri Lanka ever and by none other than USMAN KHAWAJA>.. fantastic inning

 

[mominsaigol]

When Australian players go for a drs instantly you know their correct.

Pakistani players need to learn not to be selfish. Excellent review by inglis

 

[daytrader]

Are you kidding? Smith avg 66 as a captain.

Steve smith and Younis Khan in the same 11 would murder misbah 11 into next week since you're replacing misbah with Steve smith and that's the only change you're making for these 2 sides.

If they play in Australia or England (Wtc) smith would demolish misbah, it's only in uae where it could go either way but you have yk and smith 2 masters in rank turners.

Get your head out and stop fam buying for the sake of it.

misbah being the best statistical test captain for pakistan post imran Khan doesn't mean that he's godly for aus standards.

He's bang avg for aus standards..in Australia good captains like smith aren't good enough cause their standards are high case in point pat Cummins who is the best captain of this era.

A few things you haven't considered before posting.

1. Steve Smith had better players at his disposal in tests. Warner and Khawaja for the most part and then Labuschagne and Head. These guys are better test batters than what Misbah had baring Younis Khan - unless you're trying to argue that Azhar Ali > Warner.
Even guys that were in and out of the team such as: Voges, Chris Rogers, Bancroft, were better test batters than majority of Pak XIs that Misbah fielded.

Let's not even get started on the bowling resources. Starc + Hazlewood + Lyon that's literally 3 ATG level bowlers. And then consider fielding as a factor. Anyone that Australia selects is twice the fielder of the Pakistani equivalent in that playing position.

2. Like Smith, Misbah also upped his game as captain. He averages 51 as captain vs 33 as non captain. That's a big difference.

And at the age he did it at... only deserves respect. He was 36 when he took over as captain, Smith hasn't hit that yet. Let's see if Smith can average 50+ in the years after turning 36.

Anyways my last comment on this as the thread isn't about Misbah yet your boy @topspin brought him into discussion just like you guys do in every other thread.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Day 2: Tea Break

AUS 600/5 (143) CRR: 4.2

 

[BouncerGuy]

Sri Lanka is in deep trouble here. Australia batting them out of the game...

Highest totals for Australia v Sri Lanka in Tests:
617-5d - Perth 1995
600-5* - Galle 2025
551-4d - Brisbane 2007
542-5d - Hobart 2007
534-5d - Canberra 2019

 

[mominsaigol]

A few things you haven't considered before posting.

1. Steve Smith had better players at his disposal in tests. Warner and Khawaja for the most part and then Labuschagne and Head. These guys are better test batters than what Misbah had baring Younis Khan - unless you're trying to argue that Azhar Ali > Warner.
Even guys that were in and out of the team such as: Voges, Chris Rogers, Bancroft, were better test batters than majority of Pak XIs that Misbah fielded.

Let's not even get started on the bowling resources. Starc + Hazlewood + Lyon that's literally 3 ATG level bowlers. And then consider fielding as a factor. Anyone that Australia selects is twice the fielder of the Pakistani equivalent in that playing position.

2. Like Smith, Misbah also upped his game as captain. He averages 51 as captain vs 33 as non captain. That's a big difference.

And at the age he did it at... only deserves respect. He was 36 when he took over as captain, Smith hasn't hit that yet. Let's see if Smith can average 50+ in the years after turning 36.

Anyways my last comment on this as the thread isn't about Misbah yet your boy @topspin brought him into discussion just like you guys do in every other thread.

Irrelevant because you said same 11's so basically

1) Khawaja
2) Konstas
3) Labu
4) Steve smith (c)
5) Travis
6) Weabster
7) Carey
8) Cummins
9) Starc
10) Hazlewood/Boland
11) Lyon

Vs

1) Khawaja
2) Konstas
3) Labu
4) Misbah
5) Travis
6) Webster
7) Carey
8) Cummins
9) Starc
10) Boland/Hazlewood
11) Lyon

^^ Misbah instantly weakens this squad lol

 

[Kianig89]

The obsession Misbah being discussed in Aus tour of SL,

 

[FearlessRoar]

Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st Test​

AUS 654/6 d (154)
Day 2: Innings Break

 

[FearlessRoar]

Nishan Peiris finishes with 0/189 from 41 overs, the worst bowling figures by a Sri Lankan in Test history.

 

[FearlessRoar]

The 266-run partnership between Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith for the third wicket during 1st Test between Australia and Sri Lanka is Australia's third-highest stand for any wicket in Asia and the highest in Sri Lanka. It surpassed the 258-run partnership between Shaun Marsh and Michael Hussey in Pallekele in 2011. It's also the third-highest partnership for any wicket against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka and the highest by a non-Asian pair, overtaking the 262-run stand between Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor at Colombo PSS in 2012.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Australia have buried Sri Lanka in the Galle dust

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Kuhnemann is a good bowler. Helped Australia win a test match in India a couple of years ago

 

[daytrader]

Irrelevant because you said same 11's so basically

1) Khawaja
2) Konstas
3) Labu
4) Steve smith (c)
5) Travis
6) Weabster
7) Carey
8) Cummins
9) Starc
10) Hazlewood/Boland
11) Lyon

Vs

1) Khawaja
2) Konstas
3) Labu
4) Misbah
5) Travis
6) Webster
7) Carey
8) Cummins
9) Starc
10) Boland/Hazlewood
11) Lyon

^^ Misbah instantly weakens this squad lol

Not the same XI though is it. Same would have both. And they don't play at the same positions. Smith is a top order batter whereas Misbah is middle order.

 

[mominsaigol]

Not the same XI though is it. Same would have both. And they don't play at the same positions. Smith is a top order batter whereas Misbah is middle order.

So how does that work? You said captaining the same 11.

But misbah and Steve smith both can't play in a versus match obviously. That's stupid by any metric.

 

[mominsaigol]

Not the same XI though is it. Same would have both. And they don't play at the same positions. Smith is a top order batter whereas Misbah is middle order.

Haan sure Misbah played at 5, Smith at 4. Put Travis at 4 and misbah at 5. Wouldn't make a difference. Misbah weaknes the team either way. Especially if their playing in aus.

 

[mominsaigol]

@jeeteshssaxena

But but but, I thought this was a phatta, and sri lanka was a goat team and I was making a knee jerk reaction.

I wonder why goat sri lanka are 37-3 on a phatta .

What only use to curated rank turners in india and bilo bounce pitches in Australia, oh ho.

 

[daytrader]

So how does that work? You said captaining the same 11.

But misbah and Steve smith both can't play in a versus match obviously. That's stupid by any metric.

So the rest of the XI can face each other in a vs match? Only thing stupid is you butting into conversations that you don't understand in the first place.

Khair I feel even stupider bothering to respond to an attention seeker like you.

You'll get a high-five from your boy @topspin who left you in this mess so kudos i guess

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

@jeeteshssaxena

But but but, I thought this was a phatta, and sri lanka was a goat team and I was making a knee jerk reaction.

I wonder why goat sri lanka are 37-3 on a phatta .

What only use to curated rank turners in india and bilo bounce pitches in Australia, oh ho.

Lol, so even after 650 has been scored with each and every batter doing well you still don’t want to acknowledge that its a patta.

You haven’t seen matches in subcontinent, pitches start taking turn from day 3 or 4, Sr Lanka collapsed under scoreboard pressure, it was obviously a patta.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st Test​

AUS 654/6 d
SL 44/3 (15)
Day 2: Stumps - Sri Lanka trail by 610 runs

 

[FearlessRoar]

Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st Test​

AUS 654/6 d
SL 44/3 (15)
Day 2: Stumps - Sri Lanka trail by 610 runs

Australia have posted a 600+ total 35 times in Test cricket, the most in the format

India are second behind them, with 33 instances of going past 600 runs in a Test innings (the last of which took place in 2019)

 

[mominsaigol]

So the rest of the XI can face each other in a vs match? Only thing stupid is you butting into conversations that you don't understand in the first place.

Khair I feel even stupider bothering to respond to an attention seeker like you.

You'll get a high-five from your boy @topspin who left you in this mess so kudos i guess

What do you even want?

2 misbah's and 2 Steve Smith's in the same squad?

You yourself created duplicated and paired one another. It's your own stupid logic

Quit the drama and have Steve smith captain aus vs Misbah captaining Pakistan.

And pair them in a 1 v 1, on Australia, then in pak/uae, then in England for wtc and argue who'll win.

I argue aus smacks.

 

[mominsaigol]

Lol, so even after 650 has been scored with each and every batter doing well you still don’t want to acknowledge that its a patta.

You haven’t seen matches in subcontinent, pitches start taking turn from day 3 or 4, Sr Lanka collapsed under scoreboard pressure, it was obviously a patta.

Lol, so even after 650 has been scored with each and every batter doing well you still don’t want to acknowledge that its a patta.

No because Australia batted well plain and simple and sri lanka bowled poorly plain and simple.

Australia also scored 400 against India, and bowled them out for 156 in one of the BGT test yet was that a phatta?

Each and every batter did well in that game as well besides Khawaja and Mcsweeney.

Australia would have scored 500+ in most games if bumrah wasn't their because without bumrah, The bowling is useless and ashwin + jadeja are grade A comedy in Australia so much so that ashwin ended his career due to Travis head carnage bashing.

Australia batted well and the likes of Usman khawaja struggled due to bumrah and unrah complimenting a few others.

Sri Lanka has weak bowlers. Their is nothing wrong with the pitch, the fact that you think it is wrong convinced me that you have only ever watched test games in aus, India and pakistan.

Infact your understanding of England pitches are comical.

 

[Champ_Pal]

I thought Khwaza would retire after the BGT series. He looked worse than a tailender the entire series. All of a sudden he resurrects himself and scores a double ton.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st Test​

AUS 654/6 d
SL 44/3 (15)
Day 2: Stumps - Sri Lanka trail by 610 runs

Khwaja stars as Aussies pile on pressure in Galle​

Usman Khawaja's maiden double century and a hundred on debut from Josh Inglis gave Australia complete control of the first Test against Sri Lanka after two days in Galle.

At the age of 38, Khawaja's 232 made him the second-oldest Australian to make a double hundred in Test cricket, after the great Sir Don Bradman.

He extended his third-wicket partnership with Steve Smith to 266 before Smith, standing in as captain for Pat Cummins, was out for 141.

Khawaja then added another 146 with Inglis, the 29-year-old born in Leeds. Inglis' 102 is the first century on Test debut by an Australian man since Adam Voges in 2015.

The tourists were eventually able to declare on 654-6, their highest total in a Test in Asia.

After 154 overs in the field, in which they used only four different bowlers, Sri Lanka wilted in reply.

Oshada Fernando was lbw to Matthew Kuhnemann, the left-arm spinner opening the bowling as part of a three-pronged Australian spin attack.

Mitchell Starc, the sole frontline seamer for the tourists, had Dimuth Karunaratne superbly caught at the second attempt by sub fielder Nathan McSweeney at gully.

Travis Head then trumped McSweeney's effort with a flying grab at short leg to hold Angelo Mathews off Nathan Lyon, leaving Sri Lanka 44-3, a massive 610 behind.

Sri Lanka v Australia: Usman Khawaja and Josh Inglis star in Galle

Usman Khawaja's maiden double century and a hundred on debut from Josh Inglis give Australia complete control of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

www.bbc.com

 

[mominsaigol]

So the rest of the XI can face each other in a vs match? Only thing stupid is you butting into conversations that you don't understand in the first place.

Khair I feel even stupider bothering to respond to an attention seeker like you.

You'll get a high-five from your boy @topspin who left you in this mess so kudos i guess

Btw unlike Steve smith who's a certified no 4 in ATG aussie test 11. Misbah doesn't make it into a test 11 squad.

He's a clown at no 3, 4 and no 6 in tests and his best position is no 5 where he avg 50 but still has a poor overseas record, their better no 5's available.

Pakistan's best 11 in test factoring in overseas performances + batting by avg would be

1) Hanif Mohammad
2) Saeed Anwar
3) Younis Khan( He prefers no 4, but his best innings including his 313 has been at no 3)
4) Mohammad Yousaf
5) Javed Miandad
6) Saleem Malik
7) Imran Khan (c)
8) Wasim Akram
9) Waqar Younis
10-11) Saqlain and Yasir Shah

12) Sohaib Akhtar
13) Abdul Qadir
14) Zaheer Abass (His best numbers are at 3 and 5 and both YK and Miandad are > him at those numbers and yousaf is better then zaheer at no 4, but he's defo in the playing 15) Inzimam ul Haq (Best numbers at 4 and 5 in which yousaf and miandad have him beat, but he's defo in the playing 15, and will likely make it ahead of Saleem Malik most likely)

^^ This is Pakistan's best 11 statistically.

Now it's overall best 11 would be

1) Hanif Mohammad
2) Saeed Anwar
3) Zaheer Abass
4) Younis Khan
5) Inzimam ul Haq
6) Javed Miandad
7) imran Khan
8) Wasim akram
9) waqar younis
10-11) Chuck Ajmal and Saqlain

12) Saleem Malik/ Misbah ul Haq
13) Yasir Shah
14) Yousaf
15) Sohaib Akhtar

Reserve: Rizwan due to keeping ability but otherwise they wouldn't need him, he's only in for injury.

^^ I've given you a statically and actual playing 11 that's Pakistan's best test 11 and 15.

Misbah only comes at no 16.

At best you can argue he makes it over saleem malik cause malik is a fixer and because MIsbah overall has more test runs and more test games so he can slot in at 6. But saleem malik doesn't nake it in the actual playing 11, only statistical 11.

Meanwhile Steve smith makes it in any playing 11 at no 4 for Australia all time. Both statistically and actually.

 

[daytrader]

Btw unlike Steve smith who's a certified no 4 in ATG aussie test 11. Misbah doesn't make it into a test 11 squad.

He's a clown at no 3, 4 and no 6 in tests and his best position is no 5 where he avg 50 but still has a poor overseas record, their better no 5's available.

Pakistan's best 11 in test factoring in overseas performances + batting by avg would be

1) Hanif Mohammad
2) Saeed Anwar
3) Younis Khan( He prefers no 4, but his best innings including his 313 has been at no 3)
4) Mohammad Yousaf
5) Javed Miandad
6) Saleem Malik
7) Imran Khan (c)
8) Wasim Akram
9) Waqar Younis
10-11) Saqlain and Yasir Shah

12) Sohaib Akhtar
13) Abdul Qadir
14) Zaheer Abass (His best numbers are at 3 and 5 and both YK and Miandad are > him at those numbers and yousaf is better then zaheer at no 4, but he's defo in the playing 15) Inzimam ul Haq (Best numbers at 4 and 5 in which yousaf and miandad have him beat, but he's defo in the playing 15, and will likely make it ahead of Saleem Malik most likely)

^^ This is Pakistan's best 11 statistically.

Now it's overall best 11 would be

1) Hanif Mohammad
2) Saeed Anwar
3) Zaheer Abass
4) Younis Khan
5) Inzimam ul Haq
6) Javed Miandad
7) imran Khan
8) Wasim akram
9) waqar younis
10-11) Chuck Ajmal and Saqlain

12) Saleem Malik/ Misbah ul Haq
13) Yasir Shah
14) Yousaf
15) Sohaib Akhtar

Reserve: Rizwan due to keeping ability but otherwise they wouldn't need him, he's only in for injury.

^^ I've given you a statically and actual playing 11 that's Pakistan's best test 11 and 15.

Misbah only comes at no 16.

At best you can argue he makes it over saleem malik cause malik is a fixer and because MIsbah overall has more test runs and more test games so he can slot in at 6. But saleem malik doesn't nake it in the actual playing 11, only statistical 11.

Meanwhile Steve smith makes it in any playing 11 at no 4 for Australia all time. Both statistically and actually.

Good essay but really irrelevant. . We were discussing who's a better captain but you're trying to make it as a who's the better batter. I've already addressed that Smith > Misbah as a test batter so don't really see the point of this post.

As for your XIs, I cannot take you seriously if you think that Pakistan's most successful captain doesn't warrant a place. And you didn't include any wicket keepers?? Cover the basics at least. Your post only shows your lack of knowledge about test cricket and exposes your agenda on trying to undermine Misbah.

 

[mominsaigol]

Good essay but really irrelevant. . We were discussing who's a better captain but you're trying to make it as a who's the better batter. I've already addressed that Smith > Misbah as a test batter so don't really see the point of this post.

As for your XIs, I cannot take you seriously if you think that Pakistan's most successful captain doesn't warrant a place. And you didn't include any wicket keepers?? Cover the basics at least. Your post only shows your lack of knowledge about test cricket and exposes your agenda on trying to undermine Misbah.

Hanif Mohammad was a keeper lol, he can keep.

And misbah doesn't actually fit in the 11. Where does he fit?

 

[Kianig89]

The monopoly of BCCI has left Test cricket in dire straits, Test cricket on last leg in SL also

 

[mominsaigol]

Good essay but really irrelevant. . We were discussing who's a better captain but you're trying to make it as a who's the better batter. I've already addressed that Smith > Misbah as a test batter so don't really see the point of this post.

As for your XIs, I cannot take you seriously if you think that Pakistan's most successful captain doesn't warrant a place. And you didn't include any wicket keepers?? Cover the basics at least. Your post only shows your lack of knowledge about test cricket and exposes your agenda on trying to undermine Misbah.

ATG Australia captained by Steve smith vs Atg Pakistan captained by Misbah who wins and why and since you dont want hanif mohammad to keep, let's add in rizwan who's pak best wk in test statically.

1) David Warner(Home)/Justin Langer (UAE)
2) Mattew Hayden
3) Don Bradman/ Ricky Pointing
4) Steve Smith (C)
5) Steve Waugh(vc)
6) Allan Border
7) Adam Gilchrist (WK)
8) Pat Cummins
9) Shane Warne
10) Mitchell Johsnon
11) Glenn Mcgrath

12) Michel Clarke
13) Hussey
14) Watson
15) Starc

Vs misbah 11

1) Hanif Mohammad
2) Saeed Anwar
3) Zaheer Abass
4) Younis Khan
5) Misbah ul Haq
6) Muhammad Rizwan (WK)( Your funeral lol)
7) Imran Khan
8) Wasim Akram
9) Waqar Younis
10) Sohaib Akhtar
11) Saqlain Mushtaq

12) Yasir Shah
13) Javed Miandad
14) Mohammad Yousaf
15) Abdul Qadir

^^ Weird how miandad and yousaf have to sit out because you want to fit in Misbah and Rizwan in the playing 11.

And don't complain about Imran at 7, it's test, you need 5 bowlers. Atg aus has 5(Waugh, Mcgrath, Johnson, Warne, Cummins)

 

[BouncerGuy]

THREAD IS NOT ABOUT PAKISTAN.... PLEASE DON'T BRING IRRELEVEANT STUFF NOW

 

[BouncerGuy]

CHandimal and De silva are building a good partnership here...

106/4 atm

 

[mominsaigol]

CHandimal and De silva are building a good partnership here...

106/4 atm

Sri lanka will be bundled out for 250 and aus will probs bat a bit to get around 100 to 150 rapid fires runs, declare and bowl sri lanka out again.

Writing is on the wall.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Rain has stopped play so early lunch is taken.

Day 3: Lunch Break - Sri Lanka trail by 518 runs

SL 136/5 (42) CRR: 3.24

 

[SpiritOf1903]

No suggestions of match fixing yet?. SL dropped 2 dollies I'd have taken

 

[mominsaigol]

No suggestions of match fixing yet?. SL dropped 2 dollies I'd have taken

They dropped 2 dollies vs Pakistan in 2017 as well in a crucial knockout game.

Their a poor fielding side, that's literally it.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

They dropped 2 dollies vs Pakistan in 2017 as well in a crucial knockout game.

Their a poor fielding side, that's literally it.

A case of paupers misbehaving?. SL Cricket has fallen badly. Used to be solely a private school club similar to England

 

[daytrader]

THREAD IS NOT ABOUT PAKISTAN.... PLEASE DON'T BRING IRRELEVEANT STUFF NOW

cool

 

[BouncerGuy]

Rain won today....


Day 3: Stumps - Sri Lanka trail by 518 runs
AUS 654/6 d
SL 136/5 (42) CRR: 3.24

 

[BouncerGuy]

Aussies leave Sri Lanka five down after rain-hit third day

Having swept aside the best resistance Sri Lanka could muster across the first two and a bit days of the opening Test, Australia met a much more intractable force – Galle's sodden sub-tropical weather – that has placed the one-sided contest in the balance.

Multiple bursts of torrential rain in what is historically the driest month in the southern part of the island saw play curtailed shortly before lunch, then officially abandoned at 3.30pm with Sri Lanka 5-136 in reply to Australia's daunting first innings of 6(dec)-654.

Play will resume 15 minutes earlier than scheduled tomorrow, weather permitting.

But despite holding a 518-run lead with the top half of the home team's batting line-up already dismissed, Australia must now fight the clock with the possibility of further showers tomorrow though the forecast for day five looks brighter.

While the prospect of enforcing the follow-on seemed unlikely a day ago given the short turnaround before the second Test that starts on February 6, it now seems a far more viable option for Australia as they hunt a further 15 wickets.

The sudden reduction in available game time also reduces the prospect of Sri Lanka being able to establish an overall lead in their second innings that could potentially prove tricky to prove batting last, which loomed as the scenario under which Australia could potentially lose a game they have dominated from ball one.

Certainly the visitors have proved far more potent with the ball than the hosts appeared across their largely toothless 153 overs in the field on days one and two.

The sharp contrast between Australia's bowling acumen and that of the home team was again underscored at the outset of the morning session, when Mitchell Starc began his day's work with a maiden.

It meant Australia's attack had managed as many scoreless overs (four) in barely an hour of bowling as Sri Lanka's underwhelming quartet managed across the first two sessions of the match.

And not only were they keeping their opponent's scoring below the four-plus an over Sri Lanka conceded, the Australians managed to consistently create chances even if not all of them brought wickets.

In the day's third over, Dinesh Chandimal swept Nathan Lyon just over the head of a fielder at backward square leg and pocketed a boundary but might have been dismissed for 15 from the following delivery.

Sri Lanka's former skipper – one of three former skippers playing in this Test under current leader Dhananjaya de Silva – didn't pick Lyon's arm-ball which took the outside edge but flew between keeper Alex Carey and Steve Smith at slip for another four.

However, the home team's lucky ride came to a shuddering halt in Starc's third over of the steamy, sun-drenched morning with what at face value seemed flukey happenstance but was perhaps a well-hatched plan.

Having dropped an extra fielder to the boundary behind square leg which signalled the likelihood of some short-pitched stuff, Starc slid a full, fast ball behind the pads of Kamindu Mendis who obligingly tickled it to Carey.

There was an audible groan from Sri Lanka fans as their best-performed batter of the recent past – with centuries in both previous Tests at Galle against New Zealand last September – trudged off with 15 to his name and his 4-67.

Chandimal, however, remained undaunted by the lopsided scorecard and even though Sri Lanka remained almost 600 runs adrift he kept up the attack, driving then reverse-sweeping Lyon to the boundary.

Dhananjaya joined the counter-attack with consecutive fours through cover from Todd Murphy who had replaced Lyon at the pavilion end, but it was the Sri Lanka skipper's preparedness to attack that brought him undone next over.

Having reached 22 from 33 deliveries, Dhananjaya leaped from his crease with the aim of lifting Matthew Kuhnemann over the leg side but telegraphed his move to the bowler who countered by dragging the ball shorter and wider outside off stump.

It gripped and turned as Dhananjaya tried furiously to re-adjust his stroke, only to see it fizz past his outside edge into the gloves of Carey who took it smartly near shoulder height before completing the straightforward stumping.

At 5-107 and still almost 550 runs in arrears on the first innings, Sri Lanka's best hope of saving the opening match of the two-Test series rested partly with Chandimal and largely with Galle's unseasonably wet late January weather.

The former played his part by posting his 31st Test half century and had pushed his score to 63 when the latter element of that salvage operation arrived seemingly without warning.

The usually vigilant army of Galle ground staff was caught unawares when light rain suddenly began to fall 15 minutes before the scheduled lunch break, and quickly became heavier.

Australia's bowlers and fielders signalled their willingness to play through the shower thinking it was but a passing flurry, and initially umpires Chris Gaffaney and Adrian Holdstock were happy to accommodate despite Chandimal and batting partner's Kusal Mendis's keenness to vacate the field.

That decision soon became self-evident as the light shower quickly evolved into a monsoonal rain dump, which saw lunch taken early.

Further rain during the adjournment, followed by another heavy downpour an hour later placed the remainder of the day's play quite literally under a cloud.

However, when the rain stopped and the sun that had been a welcome of rare sight during the morning made a reappearance the hour-long ritual to remove the all-of-ground network of covers was begun and a restart time of 2.50pm fixed.

Just as the last of the tarpaulins was being hauled from the playing surface, the ground staff suddenly stopped what they were doing, looked en masse to the foreboding bank of blackness bearing down from the north-east and began re-fitting the covers.

The Australia bowlers who were in the midst of their warm-up routines with the expectation of getting back on within 30 minutes were clearly bemused as they made way, and returned to the dressing room.

But the local weather wisdom was proved unerringly correct as another apocalyptic rain event arrived and more than four hours' play, and potentially 63 overs, were washed away.

With Sri Lanka's hopes of sneaking a draw after two and bit days of total subjugation rising as quickly and surely as water levels in Galle's gutters.

SOURCE: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/420...report-highlights-scores-lyon-kuhnemann-rain?

 

[mominsaigol]

@jeeteshssaxena But But But it was a phatta . But But but it's scoreboard pressure .

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

@jeeteshssaxena But But But it was a phatta . But But but it's scoreboard pressure .

Lol, Asian wickets start taking turn later, looks like you are new to test cricket in Asia.

Inglis scored a 50 ball hundred, it’s definitely a patta.

 

[mominsaigol]

Lol, Asian wickets start taking turn later, looks like you are new to test cricket in Asia.

Inglis scored a 50 ball hundred, it’s definitely a patta.

50 ball hundred? When did he do that in this test .

Plain and simple, Sri Lanka bowled poorly. Just admit you fumbled when you called them a good test team since they allowed a rubbish Abdullah to score 200 in their own den.

You're new to test cricket since you thought India would win BGT only to change your story later .

 

[jnaveen1980]

Srilanka's temporary rise was just a blip i suppose. How the heck they beat ENgland in ENgland in a Test. Is England that bad?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Srilanka's temporary rise was just a blip i suppose. How the heck they beat ENgland in ENgland in a Test. Is England that bad?

Sporting pitches give even weaker teams the opportunity to cause upsets. As we saw with West Indies winning in Australia and Pakistan. Sri Lanka have more or less been the same team for the past few years. They are a largely good team at home barring the odd thrashing. I wouldn't be surprised if they come back to beat Australia by an innings in the next test.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Day 4: Lunch Break - Sri Lanka trail by 414 runs

AUS 654/6 d
SL 165 & 75/3 (f/o) (17.2) CRR: 4.33

 

[mominsaigol]

Lol, Asian wickets start taking turn later, looks like you are new to test cricket in Asia.

Inglis scored a 50 ball hundred, it’s definitely a patta.

Inglis scored a 50 ball hundred, it’s definitely a patta.

^^ So are we going to ignore how 94 ball 100 became a 50 ball hundred

 

[BouncerGuy]

One of the worst leaves of all time.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1885562398938898588

 

[BouncerGuy]

What a win for Australia... Dominating stuff

Australia won by an innings and 242 runs

AUS 654/6 d

SL 165 & 247 (f/o)

 

[FearlessRoar]

Inglis scored a 50 ball hundred, it’s definitely a patta.

^^ So are we going to ignore how 94 ball 100 became a 50 ball hundred

I expect the Sri Lankan curators to prepare a spinning pitch for the 2nd Test. Subcontinent teams often do this when results don’t go their way

 

[BouncerGuy]

Australia beat sri lanka first test galle match report highlights scores

A record win in Asia for Australia underscored the dominance of Steve Smith's men in the first Galle Test

Australia have landed their biggest Test triumph on the subcontinent and are eyeing a rare series win in Asia after trampling Sri Lanka into the Galle dirt to record a crushing win by an innings and 242 runs.

On a remarkable fourth day of a rain-plagued game, Australia's spinners – supplemented by fast bowler Mitchell Starc who struck crucial early blows in both Sri Lanka innings – the hosts gave up 15 wickets for 276 in 64.5 overs of fleeting resistance.

The margin would have been significantly wider if not for a belligerently pointless maiden Test half-century by tailender Jeffrey Vandersay (off 47 balls) as part of a 38-run 10th wicket stand.

Australia's previous biggest margin in such alien climes was the innings and 198-run triumph achieved in just two days against Pakistan in Sharjah in 2002, with their prior best win over Sri Lanka completed by an innings and 201 at the MCG in 2012.

To place it in even sharper focus, Sri Lanka's heaviest defeat on home turf prior to today was defeat to Pakistan by an innings and 239 runs at Colombo's SSC ground in 2023.

It also eclipses their heaviest all-time defeat which had been the innings and 239-run loss to India at Nagpur in 2017.

Perhaps most significantly, it ranks as one of the most complete all-round efforts by an Australia Test outfit in Asia given the sizeable contributions of the top-order batting, the quality of spin bowling as well as Starc's speed, and a near-flawless show of catching and ground-fielding.

As a consequence, the visitors head into the second match of the series at the same venue starting next Thursday with confidence soaring.

Having retained the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy through today's success, they are hellbent on just their second series win in Asia since their most recent win in Sri Lanka in 2011, the other being their hard-fought 1-0 triumph in Pakistan three years ago.

They have certainly exerted a stranglehold over their rival spinners after piling on a first innings tally of 6(dec)-654 while the spin trio of Matthew Kuhnemann (nine wickets), Nathan Lyon (seven) and Todd Murphy (one) provided no let-up for batters who usually dine out on spin.

While the constant clatter of wickets today against the gathering backdrop of heavy clouds bringing afternoon rain provided a recurring narrative, there was a couple of decisive breakthroughs that paved Australia's record-breaking win.

The first came early in the day when Kusal Mendis's ill-judged sweep shot gave Australia their first wicket and a look at the home team's brittle lower-order.

But perhaps more significant was star batter Kamindu Mendis's brain fade in the following session when, having forged a rare meaningful partnership with veteran Angelo Mathews, he tried to belt Kuhnemann into the Laccadive Sea and was caught on the rope.

When Mathews then fell in equally impetuous fashion next over to a poorly executed reverse sweep, Sri Lanka were 5-114 – almost identical to the score on which they had resumed not three hours earlier – and still 375 runs away from forcing Australia back to the crease.

Their other batting hopes had crumbled earlier in the day, with Dinesh Chandimal assuming a rare place in history for being dismissed twice in a single session, the second coming from the final ball before lunch having been seventh man out in the first innings.

And skipper Dhananjaya de Silva completed a forgettable outing at the helm by holing out to point the ball after he had played perhaps the most authoritative stroke of his team's kamikaze knocks in lofting Kuhnemann over his head for four.

The end then came with predictable if bravely forestalled haste, as Sri Lanka's last four wickets tumbled for 60 with Kuhnemann fittingly claiming the last scalp under muted sunshine shortly before the tea break which had been pushed back.

It completed a stunning turnaround in a game that seemed destined to go deep into day five after yesterday's final two sessions were entirely lost to monsoonal rain.

In an extraordinary first session of wanton batting, Sri Lanka surrendered 8-104 from 27.4 overs to slide from contemplating a brave draw to instead facing utter humiliation.

At the height of the carnage, the team that had prised out only six Australia wickets across 153 overs of toil on the first two days lost 7-15 from 44 deliveries with the only respite being the 10-minute break between their two calamitous innings.

But while Sri Lanka's batting was dire on a pitch that was proving nowhere near unplayable, their capitulation stood as testament to Australia's planning and execution under the intuitive leadership of stand-in skipper Steve Smith.

After Sri Lanka's four-pronged bowling attack was rarely able to create chances, let along wickets, across the first two days their leg spinner Vandersay conceded he and his fellow tweakers had bowled too slowly on the sluggish Galle pitch.

But while Australia's bowlers were prepared to vary their bowling speeds, delivery points and lines of attack (between over and around-the-wicket) the sharp contrast they provided was built on more than technique and strategy.

Whereas Sri Lanka had reverted to risk minimisation from the moment Australia's new opener Travis Head went on the charge, the visitors persisted with catchers around the bat which was a luxury afforded by their massive first-innings score.

Then there was Smith's tactical nous to rotate through his bowlers in short spells rather than let batters get used to a consistent mode of attack and repeatedly manoeuvre his fielders into formations that can best be described as quirky.

At one stage early in Sri Lanka's second innings when Starc was operating with the new ball, Smith stationed two slips and a regulation gully as well as Marnus Labuschagne at a deeper, wider second gully and two catchers five metres apart at leg slip.

None of those were required when Sri Lanka's hapless opener Oshada Fernando was pinned lbw for the second time in the match without reaching double figures.

While his first dismissal against Kuhnemann was justifiably reviewed and confirmed to be hitting leg stump, today's referral against an in-swinging full ball from Starc was pure indulgence and shown when ball tracking revealed it smashing into the bottom half of middle stump.

If Sri Lanka felt the start to their second innings could not have been more disastrous, that view was amended next over when fellow opener Dimuth Karunaratne allowed a ball from Starc's new-ball partner Murphy to pass unimpeded.

With bat raised above his shoulders, Karunaratne watched in shocked horror as the ball clipped the top of off stump in what was entirely symbolic of the extraordinary day's events.

But the lowest of many grim moments from the home team's perspective came when their top-ranked Test batter Kamindu holed out hitting into the ever-present Galle sea breeze, effectively signalling the hosts had given up any hope of avoiding defeat.

SOURCE: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/420...port-highlights-smith-khawaja-lyon-kuhnemann?

 

[mominsaigol]

I expect the Sri Lankan curators to prepare a spinning pitch for the 2nd Test. Subcontinent teams often do this when results don’t go their way

Even if they do it won't be a pcb lottery pitch. Sri Lanka won't stoop so low that they start baking their pitches.

And Australia isn't bad at playing spin. They aren't England. Infact they struggle more vs pace against the new ball in test cricket.

Their fantastic players of the old ball both pace, And spin and know how to punish reverse swing and short pitched bowling,

But the new ball gets them at times.

 

[jnaveen1980]

England is the only one who doesn't have answer against spin even on flat wicket. Australia will wreak havoc if you roll them out turning tracks.

 

[sweep_shot]

Australia won by an innings and 242 runs. Massive win.

Aussies generally don't enforce follow-ons but they did in this game.

 

[topspin]

So the rest of the XI can face each other in a vs match? Only thing stupid is you butting into conversations that you don't understand in the first place.

Khair I feel even stupider bothering to respond to an attention seeker like you.

You'll get a high-five from your boy @topspin who left you in this mess so kudos i guess

Misbah would never be good enough to play for Australia. His record on bouncy wickets is there for everyone to see.

 

[mominsaigol]

Misbah would never be good enough to play for Australia. His record on bouncy wickets is there for everyone to see.

Steve smith captaincy record in test

Captained 39 tests games (Including recently concluded sri lanka) won 22, Lost 10, drew 7, 56% win record, 18% loss record, 26% draw record.

Misbah ul haq captaincy record in tests

Captained 56 test games, won 26, lost 19, 11 draws, 46% win record, 34% loss record, 20% draw record.

Steve Smith outshines Misbah as a captain and he's not even 1st choice as a captain lol.

Misbah gets credit for home domination only and people form excuses for Misbah saying he played with a rubbish team which is not true.

1) Ahmed Shehzad 40 avg, 57 avg in UAE
2) Muhammad Hafeez 37 avg, 58 in UAE
3) Azhar Ali 42 avg, 53 avg in UAE
4) Younis Khan 52 avg, 55 in UAE
5) Misbah ul Haq 46 avg, 59 in UAE
6) Asad Shafiq 38 avg, 45 in UAE
7) Sarfraz Ahmed 37 avg, 42 avg
8) Yasir Shah/Saeed Ajmal
9) Zulfiqar Ali Babar
10) Rahat Ali/Umar Gul/Muhammad Irfan
11) Imran Khan/ Junaid Khan

^^ This is not a nothing team, it's stacked with 40 to 50 avg home batters, and in away conditons, one 50 avg batter + 3 40 avg batters and one very solid 37 avg batter at no 7 with a star studded team bowling lineup up in terms of spin.

^^ The truth is this team is significantly > Australia's 2016 team which featured the likes of renshaw, Handscomb, maddison, Jackson bird and other joke players.

The whole team was Warner, Khawaja, Smith, Hazlewood and starc or Bust. Australia was literally just playing with 5 players yet they butchered Pakistan into oblivion cause misbah had no answer for Warner, Khawaja, Hazelwood, starc and Smith.

Put Steve smith in misbah's UAE team and you'll have an unstoppable team. Put misbah in Steve Smith's 2016 team and you'll have a joke unit that's literally Warner or bust.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

I expect the Sri Lankan curators to prepare a spinning pitch for the 2nd Test. Subcontinent teams often do this when results don’t go their way

But in Pakistan's case result doesn't go their way even if they prepare a spin track. lol

 

[mominsaigol]

But in Pakistan's case result doesn't go their way even if they prepare a spin track. lol

Sri lanka even if they prepare a spin track are outmatched

Australia will win wtc and will win Ashes. But will lose ct most likely.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Sri lanka even if they prepare a spin track are outmatched

Australia will win wtc and will win Ashes. But will lose ct most likely.

Bro whats your take on india vs pak match fancy pak chances vs india fakhar is back but saim is out is like half of the team is out your views on that game.

 

[mominsaigol]

Bro whats your take on india vs pak match fancy pak chances vs india fakhar is back but saim is out is like half of the team is out your views on that game.

India most likely will win

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

India most likely will win

Dont you think pak can and should beat if they play like that sa and aus series.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Sri lanka even if they prepare a spin track are outmatched

Australia will win wtc and will win Ashes. But will lose ct most likely.

Australia usually struggles on spin tracks... Sri Lankan pitch they played their last Test on was very flat. If they had made it a little trickier I m sure Australia would have lost that match.

 

[mominsaigol]

Australia usually struggles on spin tracks... Sri Lankan pitch they played their last Test on was very flat. If they had made it a little trickier I m sure Australia would have lost that match.

They ain't losing close to wtc and Ashes just saying.

 

[mominsaigol]

Dont you think pak can and should beat if they play like that sa and aus series.

Saim ayub will be the difference.

Fakhar is aging and his form in domestics isn't looking too good. Saud as an opener isn't bad but he won't be as good as saim.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Series win would bolster bid to become a great team: Lyon​

Nathan Lyon is eyeing more success for Australia's Test team.

Nathan Lyon believes the current Australia men's team is on the cusp of installing itself as one of the nation's genuinely great outfits, with the next step in realising that ambition to be taken later this week.

Having joined with spin-bowling partners Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy to help inflict Sri Lanka's biggest-ever Test defeat at Galle last Saturday, Lyon is eyeing Australia's first clean-sweep of a campaign in Asia for almost 20 years.

Australia's most recent whitewash on the subcontinent came in the two-Test series against Bangladesh in 2006, an era dominated by all-time greats the likes of skipper Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie.

While Lyon notes the current Test team has notched some impressive achievements including the 2023 World Test Championship crown, retention of the Ashes (twice) in the UK and the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series win against India, he acknowledges there are gaps in its CV.

That includes a solitary Test series win in Asia over the past decade – the gruelling 1-0 triumph on flat decks in Pakistan three years ago.

However, having thumped Sri Lanka in the opening Test at Galle with the second to begin at the same venue on Thursday, Australia are motivated by their inability to get the job done from a similar position when they last visited the island in 2022.

On that occasion, a 10-wicket win in the first Test was reversed when the hosts produced a dominant batting display in the second to romp home by an innings and 39 runs.

"I was having a beer with Mitch Starc (post-game) and we spoke about that," Lyon said in the aftermath of the first Test where he captured seven wickets to overtake India's Ravichandran Ashwin for most Test scalps against Sri Lanka on their home turf.

"I feel like that's a lot of motivation within this team.

"It's about us on our journey to becoming a great team, to make sure we go 2-0 up.

"We're on that journey, we're not there yet but that's our end goal.

"We want to be known as a great team, and part of that journey is when we close a window making sure we nail it shut, and we don’t let anyone back in.

"This is only me and my thoughts, but we've got some great players within that changeroom.

"You look at Smithy (Steve Smith) bringing up 10,000 runs, you've got Starcy who's around the corner from 100 Test matches.

"And it's not just the guys here, we've got some unbelievable players at home as well whether injured or on paternity leave.

"It's a squad mentality and that's how it should be."

Among the players missing from the current Sri Lanka series due to injury and other factors are skipper Pat Cummins, fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, and allrounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh.

Quizzed further as to what would elevate the current group to the all-time levels achieved by earlier iterations under Ponting and Steve Waugh, Lyon nominated Test series wins in India and the UK.

Both of those possibilities lie ahead in 2027, with the record-breaking off-spinner – who now has 546 Test wickets and requires just 18 more to overtake McGrath in sixth place on the all-time list – having identified those upcoming five-Test tours as personal goals.

With the evolution of Kuhnemann and Murphy as genuine wicket-taking threats to complement Lyon's potency on the subcontinent, Australia feel they have a rare opportunity to match Asian teams in their home conditions.

As Smith observed immediately after the first Test win, the incumbent spin trio "worked really well together" and, coupled with Australia's huge batting innings of 6(dec)-654, enabled stand-in skipper Smith to maintain innovative fields and rotate through regular bowling changes.

The spin triumvirate played the first of their now-four Tests together in the second match of the 2023 campaign in India, and completed that series with a combined haul of 35 wickets – Lyon 22, Murphy 14 and Kuhnemann nine.

Australia have rarely deployed attacks that feature three specialist spinners, even on spin-friendly surfaces in Asia in the Middle-East preferring to maintain at least a couple of seamers with part-time spinners playing a bigger role.

That was certainly the case in the late 1960s when Ashley Mallett and John Gleeson were often partnered by top-order batters Bob Simpson and Bob Cowper, while off-spinning allrounder Greg Matthews, left-armer Ray Bright and leggie Bob Holland played a couple of Tests together in the mid-1980s.

But the previous occasion Australia fielded a bowling line-up built around three specialist tweakers was in several late 1930s Ashes contests with leg spinners Bill O'Reilly and Frank Ward plus left-arm wrist-spinner Chuck Fleetwood Smith.

"I think we all complement each other really well, with three totally different bowlers with three totally different mindsets as well," Lyon said of the current spin trio.

"I feel like I'm learning off Todd and Matt, and I feel like they're pushing me to try and get better as well.

"Hopefully I'm passing on a bit of knowledge here and there.

"It's something I've really enjoyed off the back end of the last three Tests in India, to this Test match here (in Galle).

"And we've got two wins out of four Tests now (in Asia), so we're going okay but I still feel like we've got a lot of improvement to make."

Lyon added the spinners' work has been rendered even more effective by keeper Alex Carey who he believes has been something of an unsung hero during the preceding subcontinent series in India and the recently completed win at Galle.

Carey became just the fourth Australia gloveman after Rod Marsh (against Pakistan at Lahore in 1980), Brian Taber (India at Kanpur 1969) and Wally Grout (Pakistan at Karachi 1969) to complete a Test in Asia without conceding a bye when the opposition has scored 400-plus runs in the match.

In claiming one catch and a hat-trick of stumpings at Galle, Carey also eclipsed his predecessor Tim Paine's tally of 157 Test dismissals with his tally of 159 from 38 matches behind only Grout (187), Brad Haddin (270), Marsh (355), Ian Healy (395) and Adam Gilchrist (416).

"I think Alex Carey's keeping flew under the radar when we went to India," Lyon said of the gloveman whose current average of 2.21 dismissals per innings is surpassed by only Paine (2.31) among Australians to have kept in five or more Tests.

"His keeping in these conditions has been phenomenal."

Lyon also confirmed he has playing under duress since the start of the India Test campaign at home, when he hurt his left hip in the opening match at Perth and aggravated it when making a sliding save in the field on day one of the final game in Sydney.

The 37-year-old revealed he had sustained a de-gloving injury whereby subdermal layers of tissue are torn away from the external skin above, and also detach from the fascia lata connective tissue that surrounds the thigh muscles and hip.

It is understood Lyon received a cortisone injection immediately after the Sydney Test and had around 20ml of blood drained from the affected area.

He claims he finds minimal discomfort when bowling, batting or fielding, although sitting for prolonged periods can prove painful.

"A unique injury with my left hip," said Lyon, who on Saturday completed the rare honour of dismissing a rival batter – former Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal – twice within a single session of play in a Test.

"I'm no physio or medical (person) but apparently it degloved, I ripped the deep tissue off the fascia whatever that means.

"A bit of excess blood in there, but all good, no stress."

Series win would bolster bid to become a great team: Lyon | cricket.com.au

Nathan Lyon is eyeing more success for Australia's Test team

www.cricket.com.au

 

[FearlessRoar]

Sri Lanka bolster spin attack ahead of second Test against Australia

A strong performance in Sri Lanka’s first-class competition has earned Ramesh Mendis a recall to the Sri Lankan side for the final Test against Australia.

Sri Lanka endured a challenging time against Australia in the first Test in Galle, where they found themselves trailing by 654 runs at the end of the first innings, with two relatively inexperienced spinners leading the charge. It saw the hosts being inflicted with their worst Test defeat in history as they lost by an innings and 242 runs.

Going into the second Test, Sri Lanka have made two changes to their squad, with Ramesh Mendis being recalled while seamer Vishwa Fernando and top-order batter Lahiru Udara have been released from the 18-member squad.

Being an all-rounder with 15 Tests under his belt, Mendis is expected to help bolster Sri Lanka’s front-line spinning options.

Mendis was initially dropped from the Test squad following a sub-par performance against New Zealand last year. However, following his strong form both with bat and ball in the ongoing first-class Major League Tournament, Mendis has earned back his stripes in the Test squad. In Sri Lanka's domestic red-ball tournament, Mendis has claimed 24 wickets at an average of 21.91 and scored 260 runs at an average of 52 off six innings.

Despite modest returns in Tests, particularly against Australia—against whom he has taken seven wickets at an average of 40.85 from the two matches played in Galle back in 2022, his inclusion is a strategic move given the team's inexperience in the spin department, and will add much needed experience to the unit. He will be in contention for the XI as Sri Lanka look to bounce back and prevent a 2-0 defeat.

The second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia is slated to begin in Galle on February 6, Thursday.

Sri Lanka bolster spin attack ahead of second Test against Australia

A strong performance in Sri Lanka’s first-class competition has earned Ramesh Mendis a recall to the Sri Lankan side for the final Test against Australia.

www.icc-cricket.com

 

[mominsaigol]

Sri Lanka won the toss and will bat first. Great minnow mentality, their preparing lottery pitches now.

Unbelievable

 

[BouncerGuy]

Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2nd Test

Toss Update:

Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to bat

Teams:

Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Josh Inglis, Alex Carey(w), Beau Webster, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva(c), Kusal Mendis(w), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lahiru Kumara

 

[sweep_shot]

Sri Lanka won the toss and will bat first. Great minnow mentality, their preparing lottery pitches now.

Unbelievable

No matter what the pitch is, Aussies are likely to win.

If it is turning, Lyon should have a good time.

If it is flat, Aussie batters can bat SL out of the game.

 

[mominsaigol]

No matter what the pitch is, Aussies are likely to win.

If it is turning, Lyon should have a good time.

If it is flat, Aussie batters can bat SL out of the game.

Australia is playing 4 spinners actually in this game.