Australia recorded the second highest total by a visiting team in the backyard of Sri Lanka’s Lion’s den where many teams have tasted the wrath of Sri Lankan quality spin and home advantage, but in a stark reversal, the Sri Lankans tasted their own medicine from a far superior Australia in all three disciplines at the end of day 2 at Galle today in the Murali-Warne Test series being in the hosts favourite southern port the pitcturesque Galle International Cricket Stadium Stadium overlooked by the ancient splendour Dutch Fortress.
Resuming on an overnight 330 for 2 wickets, the visitors recorded the second highest score by a visiting team at Galle in declaring their first innings on a match winning 654 for 6 wickets.
Known for their dominance at this stadium, the home team carry the looks of David against Goliath given the gloomy 43 for 3 wickets.
Hence, even a rabbit out of the hat will not help them to save this lung opener except divine intervention like the David and Goliath story.
Fantastic records were set up by the Australian batters feasting on poor bowling, missed catches, and incorrect decisions by being highly negligently conservative on DRS referels and guilty of playing into the hands of the strong Australian batting line up by bowling to their arch and leaking runs similar to a white ball game.
There are many things to drive home about from an Australian perspective.
1) Usman Kawaja scores 232 runs , the first Australian to do so against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.
2) Steven Smith gets to his 10,000 runs in red ball cricket, joining the legendary club of Tendulkar. Border, Steve Waugh, Sangakkara, Ponting, and Lara. Smith also records his 36th century in test cricket.
3) Josh Inglis, the debutant makes a century of 104 runs in 91 balls. Incidentally, he is the 21st Australian batter to do so .
The Australian batters came with a positive approach to counter the Sri Lankan spin trio by using the crease whilst executing their stroke play on the back foot, reverse sweeping, and driving with precise timing, also getting to the pitch of the ball using excellent foot work skills. A lesson for all youngsters on how to play spin.
The centuries, Kawaja 232 , Smith 141 , Inglis 104 , Travis Head 57 Alex Carey 43 unbeaten you cannot have a better script than this especially playing on a spinner’s track after being nurtured on fast and bouncy pitches.
Jayasuriya bowled 60 overs with 6 maidens conceeding 193 runs scalping 3 wickets. Vandersay 38 overs 182 runs for 3 wickets whilst Nishan Pieris got the taste of quality batting for his off spin conceeding 189 runs in 41 overs and nothing to write home about in the wickets column.
Sri Lanka with tired legs, obviously not enjoying the leather hunt end day 2 on 43 for 3 wickets. Hence, the writing is on the wall period.
Oshadi Fernando got on the back foot feet , nowhere tried to turn the blade of his bat without playing straight, and was trapped plum in front off Mathew Khenaman for 7.
Dimuth Karunaratne and his virus against short deliveries, especially facing Mitchell Starch, has not healed. Out caught at Slips off a short delivery for 7.
Mathews guess ? Feet are not moving Nathen Lyon got his on the back foot he hung his bat with Travis Head taking a brilliant catch at forward short leg . Mathews gone for 7 as well.
Kamindu Mendis is batting on 13 , Chandimal on 9. Wll they wither the storm?
Will dot down our script tomorrow.
