Kuhnemann cleans up as Australia seals historic win over Sri Lanka

Steve Smith has lauded his side for a “near flawless performance” after Australia retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy by inflicting Sri Lanka’s worst shellacking in Test cricket history.

Steve Smith has lauded his side for a “near flawless performance” after Australia retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy by inflicting Sri Lanka’s worst shellacking in its more than four decades of Test cricket.

The tourists made a mockery of suggestions they had batted for too long on day two, taking 15 wickets on Saturday to wrap the match up before tea with an innings and 242-run victory.

Sri Lanka’s previous heaviest Test innings defeat was by an innings and 239 runs against India at Nagpur in 2017.

Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann and veteran offie Nathan Lyon combined for 16 scalps across the match in what was among Australia’s most comprehensive wins abroad.

“It was a really good performance, from the outset…Almost a near flaweless performance,” stand-in skipper Smith said.

Though the Galle International Stadium wicket was deteriorating, and Australia bowled well, many of the home side’s wounds were self-inflicted.

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Matthew Kuhnemann celebrates after taking one of his nine wickets. Picture: AFP

Sri Lanka lost a pitiful 7-15 across two innings during the first session to all but cede the match.

From 5-156 in its first innings, the hosts lost 5-9 inside five offers, bowled out for 165 and trailing by 489.

The follow-on is seldom enforced in Test cricket, but with rain forecast for later on Saturday and given Australia’s spin-heavy attack had only sent down 52.2 overs in the Sri Lankan first dig, Smith was happy to send the hosts back in for more punishment.

With Sri Lanka batting again, Mitchell Starc struck with the new ball, outclassing Oshada Fernando to leave the stand-in opener lbw for six, an on-field call that was bafflingly reviewed.

Mitchell Starc took two catches, and the first wicket, in Sri Lanka’s second innings. Picture: AFP

Todd Murphy got his first Test wicket since 2023 when Dimuth Karunaratne made a shocking decision to leave a ball flying into off-stump to be gone for a duck.

Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis all reached 30 yet none made more than Mathews’ 41 as Sri Lanka’s most senior players made a string of poor decisions with the bat.

Skipper de Silva’s shot that picked out Beau Webster at cover point off Kuhnemann was emblematic of his side’s display.

Jeffrey Vandersay smashed a half-century coming in at No.9 for Sri Lanka. Picture: Getty Images

Jeffrey Vandersay slogged his way to a half-century, top-scoring from No. 9 before becoming Kuhnemann’s ninth victim of the match by skying one to Starc to end the rout. Sri Lanka was bowled out for 247 just as the Aussie women were finishing off England at the MCG.

The home side had earlier added 18 to its overnight total before Kusal Mendis top-edged a sweep from Kuhnemann to be well caught by Murphy travelling from square leg.

Chandimal went for 72 after failing to connect as he tried to reverse sweep Lyon, opening the floodgates as a fragile tail was rapidly dismantled.

Nathan Lyon took four wickets in Sri Lanka’s second innings. Picture: Getty Images

Kuhnemann - whose three previous Tests came in India in early 2023 - had long been touted as a likely starter in this series given his status as Australia’s preeminent left-arm spinner.

But his dream of a return had been seriously imperiled when a drive from Matthew Wade left him cradling his right thumb less than a fortnight before the first Test was due to begin.

Kuhnemann underwent surgery but within 24 hours there was renewed optimism he would still make the tour despite a fracture and compound dislocation. Not only did he get to Sri Lanka, Kuhnemann ended up starring.

“A lot of credit’s got to go to the surgeon that his thumb. He’s a magician, not a surgeon I think,” Smith said.

Sri Lankan coach Sanath Jayasuriya lamented his side’s shot-selection and a string of missed chances on day one.

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