We’ll be back for more blog action tomorrow. Barring the greatest miracle in the history of cricket, Australia will get a bat tomorrow. They’ll be happy with how the pitch played today. It certainly didn’t have too many demons in it. Not as spin-friendly as some predicted. Australia bat deep and should have no trouble making 300-plus.
Make sure you check out our mastheads for all the latest news and analysis from our man on the ground in Galle, Dan Brettig.
Cheers!
Stumps: Sri Lanka 9-229 at the end of day one
That’s stumps on day one in Galle.
A weird old day. Sri Lanka started well (1-93), fell in a bit of a heap (they lost 4-34), showed some resistance, before a few late wickets at the end ensured Australia finished day one with the honours.
Australia would have loved that last wicket though. Not to be.
Mitchell Starc (3-37) and Nathan Lyon (3-78) were the best of the Australian bowlers. Toiled away all day and got their rewards.
Sri Lanka 9-229 (Kusal Mendis 59, Lahiru Kumara 0)
Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of Prabath Jayasuriya during day one. Credit: Getty Images
Another one bites the dust
The end is nigh. Sri Lanka’s collapse continues as Kuhnemann skittles No.10 Nishan Peiris for a third-ball duck with one that spun sharply. The left-armer now has 2-52 to go with his match haul of nine wickets in the first Test.
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Smith slips into top spot
Stand-in skipper Steve Smith has been breaking his records all his career, and now he has reached another landmark. When he latched onto an edge from Prabath Jayasuriya off Mitchell Starc, it took Smith to 197 Test catches, breaking Ricky Ponting’s Australian record. Only England’s Joe Root (207) is ahead of him.
Australia players celebrate after Steve Smith takes a record 197th Test catch, off the bowling of Mitchell Starc. Credit: Getty Images
Starc has two wickets in two balls
Scenes.
Mitchell Starc has removed Jayasuriya for a golden duck. Steve Smith takes a great catch to his left at second slip to send Jayasuriya packing first ball.
After one of the slowest periods of Test cricket you will ever see, Starc is now on a hat-trick.
And the hat-trick ball… Peiris plays and misses outside the off stump (second video below). All happening in Galle as the end of day one approaches.
Sri Lanka 8-215
Starc gets a wicket
There it is.
Ramesh Mendis is making his way back to the pavilion after getting a tickle on a Mitchell Starc delivery.
Starc pushes one across Mendis, from over the wicket, as he edges it behind to wicketkeeper Alex Carey who takes a simple catch.
With just over six overs remaining before stumps, Australia sneak a wicket. As the old saying goes … one brings two!
A productive partnership of 65 runs comes to an end.
Sri Lanka 7-215
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The new ball is here
An absolute crawl in Galle!
Sri Lanka have made their way to 6-210 at the end of 80 overs.
Australia opt against taking the new ball straight away, giving one over to Nathan Lyon with the old rock. He sends down a maiden. Well bowled.
Here it is. Mitchell Starc to steam in with a brand new six-stitcher
It will be interesting to see if Sri Lanka take the game on, playing a little bit more proactively against a harder ball, or try and survive.
Credit to them though. They’ve really dug in during this final session.
Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal, left, and Kusal Mendis bump fists during the first day of the second Test. Credit: AP
How many runs will Sri Lanka make?
A handy partnership from this pair. 51 runs now to just slow things down.
You get the sense if Australia can get one wicket the next three will come in quick time.
Steve Smith is making a lot of bowling changes. He’s desperate for a breakthrough. Pitch isn’t playing major tricks.
The bookies have Australia as $1.82 favourites, with Sri Lanka at $2.15 to win. The draw is $17.
Australia 6-201
In case you missed Head’s earlier wicket
Put the finger on ice, Trav. Jeez he loved that one.
Head is still toiling away. He has figures of 1-25 from six overs.
Australia think Kusal Mendis has edged one behind but a review shows that Joel Wilson got it right. No bat on that one.
The visitors are in the grind here. Some very slow Test cricket at the moment. Australia’s openers might be breathing a little sigh of relief.
