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Gulf Today
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Sri Lanka stare at defeat in second Australia Test
Sri Lanka were reeling at 98-4 at tea on day three in Galle on Saturday and staring at their second loss in the two-Test series against a dominant Australia. The hosts still require a further 60 runs to avoid an innings defeat, with survival looking improbable. With the picturesque Galle Fort providing a natural grandstand, hundreds of Australian supporters perched themselves atop the historic ramparts to enjoy a commanding performance from their side. The fans celebrated as off-spinner Nathan Lyon became only the third Australian to claim 550 Test wickets, joining the exalted company of Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563). Fittingly, Lyon's Test career began at Galle in 2011 and he celebrated the milestone in style, tightening the screws on Sri Lanka. Despite Australia losing seven wickets in the morning session to be bowled out for 414, their first-innings lead of 157 put them well ahead. Alex Carey turned entertainer-in-chief with a swashbuckling 156 -- his career-best knock and the highest score by an Australian wicketkeeper in Asia. Prabath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka's spin spearhead, claimed his 11th five-wicket haul, but it was only a consolation with the visitors remaining firmly in control. Sri Lanka's reply got off to a shaky start, with left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann making early inroads. Dimuth Karunaratne, playing in his final Test innings, walked off to a standing ovation after he fell to Kuhnemann for 14, with even the Australian players acknowledging his stellar career. The veteran opener, who became only the seventh Sri Lankan to play 100 Tests, bows out as the nation's fourth-highest run-scorer and their most prolific opener. Lyon's landmark wicket was straight out of a coaching manual. With long-off and long-on left vacant, he dangled the carrot for Dinesh Chandimal, who attempted an ambitious lofted shot. But the former captain failed to get the required elevation and the ball nestled safely in the hands of mid-off -- a classic trap, perfectly executed. Kamindu Mendis, recently named ICC Emerging Player of the Year, endured a series to forget, failing to reach fifty after four innings. His poor run continued when he chipped a simple catch to mid-off, handing Lyon his second wicket of the innings. The visitors have already put the Warne-Murali Trophy beyond Sri Lanka's reach, having taken an unassailable 1-0 lead with a crushing victory in the first Test. That innings and 242-run humiliation stands as Sri Lanka's worst defeat in Test history. Agence France-Presse
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Smith and Carey put Australia in command in Sri Lanka Test
Steve Smith and Alex Carey powered Australia to a formidable 414 all out Saturday in their first innings of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Their record-breaking 259-run partnership handed the visitors a commanding 157-run first-innings lead, as they were bowled out just seven minutes before lunch on day three. The Australian captain and his wicketkeeper put on the highest fourth-wicket stand by a visiting pair on Sri Lankan soil. They edged past the 258-run alliance between Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh at Pallekele in 2011 by just one run. Smith was the bedrock of the innings, anchoring one end with solid strokes, while Carey provided the fireworks. The left-hander played with fearless intent, sweeping and reverse-sweeping the Sri Lankan spinners behind square. His career-best innings of 156 eclipsed Adam Gilchrist's highest score for an Australian wicketkeeper in Asia, surpassing the swashbuckling left-hander's 144 in Kandy (2004) and 144 in Fatullah (2006). With Sri Lanka taking the second new ball in the morning, their spinners found fresh bite from the deck, extracting more turn and bounce. The marathon stand was finally snapped when Smith feathered one behind, and two balls later, Prabath Jayasuriya sent Josh Inglis packing for a duck. Carey, who had tormented the bowlers with his audacious stroke play, perished attempting yet another sweep off Jayasuriya –- this time misjudging it and losing his stumps. Jayasuriya continued his run, bagging his 11th five-wicket haul in Test cricket when he rattled Mitchell Starc. Sri Lanka, who were earlier bowled out for 257, must now try to set Australia a challenging chase. But the visitors have already put the Warne-Murali Trophy beyond Sri Lanka's reach, having taken an unassailable 1-0 lead with a crushing victory in the first Test. The innings and 242-run humiliation stands as Sri Lanka's worst defeat in Test history. str/pjm/fox
Express Tribune
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Smith, Carey tons put Aus on top in SL Test
GALLE: Commanding centuries from Steve Smith and Alex Carey gave Australia a dominating lead at stumps on day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Friday. Australia, leading by 73 runs at 330-3, were poised to post a mammoth first-innings total, with Smith and Carey stitching together an unbroken 259-run stand for the fourth wicket. Sri Lanka's bowlers showed some early flair but the spinners struggled to get the same fizz off the surface once the ball lost its bite, and Smith exploited the gaps. The Australian skipper made a scratchy start and his innings could have been cut short on 24, when he was judged lbw to Nishan Peiris. However, a timely review saved him and Smith never looked back. Smith tightened his grip on the contest with elegant cover drives and precise pull shots. He took a few calculated risks and, with Sri Lanka lacking a substantial total to defend, the field was soon spread out to cut off boundaries rather than hunt for wickets. That didn't deter the Australian captain, who pierced the gaps with ease in dispatching nine fours and a six. He brought up his 36th Test hundred in style, pulling part-timer Kamindu Mendis to the mid-wicket boundary. Carey was promoted to number five in place of Josh Inglis, who was off the field nursing a sore back, and grabbed his chance, racing to his half-century in 68 deliveries. His hundred came with a well-timed sweep to the boundary, taking just 118 balls to reach the milestone, and finished with a career-best 139 off 156 balls that included 13 fours and two sixes. Carey said his partnership with Smith was a "great experience". "We are in a commanding position and we want to score as many as possible in the first innings, as batting can get tricky later," Carey said. Sri Lanka were earlier bowled out for 257, having resumed on their overnight score of 229-9. Kusal Mendis played a lone hand with a spectacular 85 not out but he ran out of partners as the Australian bowlers wrapped up the innings after some late resistance. Mendis praised the Australians. "Australia were superb," he said. "They bowled well and they took on our spinners well." Sri Lanka must look to "create a few chances" on Saturday, he said. "We need to keep their first innings total to as little as possible," he said. "The bowlers will be fresh tomorrow and they will be raring to go. We want to get back into the game." The visitors have already put the Warne-Murali Trophy beyond Sri Lanka's reach, having taken an unassailable 1-0 lead with a crushing victory in the first Test. The innings and 242-run humiliation stands as Sri Lanka's worst defeat in Test history. AFP PCB name commentary panel for tri-nation series The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced the commentary panel for the upcoming Tri-Nation Series 2025, featuring Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand. The panel will feature prominent voices from the sport, including former South African pacer Vernon Philander, New Zealand's Danny Morrison, along with Pakistan's Aamir Sohail, Sana Mir, and Bazid Khan. Sikandar Bakht will take on the role of presenter. The upcoming tri-nation series, scheduled from February 8 to 14, is crucial for the three participating teams to their preparations ahead of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025.
Associated Press
28-01-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Head set to open batting as Australia weighs options for first test against Sri Lanka
GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — The rainy weather conditions have given Australia a selection problem for the opening test against Sri Lanka starting Wednesday, although one thing seems certain: Travis Head will open the batting. Stand-in captain Steve Smith has hinted at a range of strategies under consideration depending on the weather, but highlighted that Head — who is typically a dependable presence in the middle order — has previously thrived as an opener in Asian conditions. 'Travis will go to the top,' Smith said at a news conference. 'The selectors liked what they saw in India when he opened. He attacked the new ball, scored quickly, and immediately put the opposition under pressure. We're expecting a similar impact here.' Head's promotion to the top means 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who had a sensational debut in the Boxing Day test against India last month, could either slide down the order or be excluded from the XI entirely. Smith hinted at the latter, with Josh Inglis in line for his test debut. 'Josh has been around the group for a while and played a lot of cricket. He's got excellent skills against spin, scores all around the wicket, and has a solid defense. If he gets his chance, I'm confident he'll do a great job,' Smith said. The tourists are also expected to include left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, who is poised to partner Nathan Lyon in what would be his first test in two years. 'Conditions have been fluctuating over the past few days, and with the rain around, we'll wait until tomorrow morning to name the side,' Smith explained. 'Ideally, we'd prefer to lock in our XI a couple of days in advance, but things change rapidly here, so we'll leave it until the last minute.' Meanwhile, Sri Lanka confirmed that opener Pathum Nissanka will miss the first test due to a groin injury, with Oshada Fernando likely to take his place. 'Pathum is ruled out for the first test, but we're optimistic about his return for the second game,' Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said. Although the World Test Championship finalists are already decided, de Silva emphasized that his team remains highly motivated. 'We're determined to reclaim the Warne-Murali Trophy,' he said. 'I still remember winning it during my debut series in 2016, but we lost it in 2019 and couldn't win it back when the Aussies were here in 2022. Also, we've had a strong World Test Championship campaign overall and if we win both tests, we'll finish third in the table. That's a huge motivator for us.' ___ Squads: Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Josh Inglis, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy. Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Kusal Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lahiru Udara, Milan Rathnayake, Sonal Dinusha. Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand), Adrian Holdstock (South Africa)
