Smith, Labuschagne tons put Australia in box seat

Steven Smith hits his first ton in 16 games

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith hit centuries as the tourists cruised to 298 for 5 at stumps on day one in the second Test here at the Galle International Stadium.

Smith, with a glorious cover drive off Kasun Rajitha, reached his 28th century and remained unbeaten on 109 while Alex Carey remained unbeaten on 16 as Australia--after electing to bat with an unchanged team that crushed Sri Lanka by 10-wickets in the first game--put themselves in a strong position at the end of the first day’s play.

Smith had 16 innings without a ton, but the right-hander was in sublime form, playing some glorious drives and pulls on his unbeaten knock that helped him improve his career Test average to over 60. He hit 14 boundaries and also shared 134 runs for the third wicket with Labuschagne who was first reach the triple figure mark—his first ton outside Australia. Smith’s partnership with Carey was worth 46.

Marnus Labuschagne celebrates his first century outside Australia

Labuschagne was spared on 28 by wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella when he missed a straightforward stumping opportunity. It proved a costly blunder as Labuschagne added 76 runs to his total before being stumped out for 104.

Just before tea, debutant Prabath Jayasuriya enticed Labuschange to come down the pitch but missed the ball completely as it turned away from the bat. But Dickwella made no mistake this time with the stumping.

Jayasuriya added two more wickets to finish with the best figures of the day (3-90), removing Travis Head and Cameron Green, the man-of-the-match of the first match.

Impressive debut for Prabath Jayasuriya 3-90

Maheesh Theekshana, who also received his Test cap along with Jayasuriya and Kamindu Mendis, was forced to wait for his maiden scalp after Dickwella had another howler behind the stumps. He let Green off the hook on one after failing to collect a Theekshana delivery. But this was not as costly as that of Labuschagne as Jayasuriya trapped him leg before, out for 4—the last Australian wicket to fall.

Travis Head was cleaned up by Jayasuriya for 12, the first Australian wicket to fall after tea, but Smith continued to torment the Sri Lankans with some excellent stroke play.

Sri Lanka stacked its bowling armoury with a flurry of spinners that included three debutants: Kamindu Mendis (primarily off-spin but he can also bowl left-arm orthodox); Theekshana (mystery spin) and Jayasuriya (left-arm orthodox).

Additionally, there is off-spinner Ramesh Mendis as Sri Lanka look to level the two-match series following their humiliating 10-wicket loss in the first game. The home team were forced to make these changes after several of its key players—Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrema and Asitha Fernando—were ruled out after contracting Covid 19.

However, it was seamer Kasun Rajitha who came in for Asitha Fernando (Covid 19 positive) who made the early breakthrough for Sri Lanka when he ripped through David Warner’s defence to disturb the off stump.

Rajitha has been bowling a tight line and length, leaving little room for the aggressive Warner to free his arms. And his fifth delivery in the third over angled back as Warner played down the wrong line and had his off stump rattled.

Australia lost its first wicket on 15, after electing to bat first with an unchanged team but a steady partnership between Usman Khawaja and Labuschagne took their score to 70 before Ramesh Mendis claimed his first wicket of the game.

Khawaja was the most comfortable-looking batsman in the morning session but was defeated by a perfect off-spin delivery that beat his defence to rattle the top of the off stump. The left-hander made 37 with four boundaries sharing 55 runs for the second wicket with Labuschagne.

Sri Lanka 1^st Innings

David Warner b K Rajitha 5

Usman Khawaja b R Mendis 37

Marnus Labuschagne st Dickwella b Jayasuriya 101

Steven Smith not out  109

Travis Head b Jayasuriya 12

Cameron Green lbw b Jayasuriya 4

Alex Carey not out 16

Extras (b1, lb 6, nb3 w1) 11

Total (for 5 in 90 overs) 298

Yet to bat: Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson

FoW: 1-15, 2-70, 3-204, 4-238, 5-252

Bowling: Rajitha 19-4-56-1, Mendis 28-1-100-1, Theekshana 15-2-45-0, Jayasuriya 28-2-90-3