A marathon unbeaten partnership of 239 runs between Steve Smith (120) and Alex Carey (139)** placed Australia in the driver’s seat on the second day of the final Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. The duo batted through the entire evening session, extending Australia’s first-innings lead to 73 runs on a pitch that is expected to deteriorate in the coming days.
Smith and Carey Dominate Post-Tea Session
Much like the afternoon session, Smith and Carey dictated terms after tea, reaching their respective centuries in style. Smith, playing his second century knock of the series, surpassed Ricky Ponting’s record for the most runs by an Australian in Asia at the start of his innings. The experienced batter showed great control, using his feet efficiently to tackle Sri Lanka’s spinners.
While there was some turn on offer, the softening ball made stroke play easier. Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled with their line and length, failing to apply pressure consistently.
Carey, on the other hand, played aggressively from the moment he arrived at the crease. Promoted to No.5 in place of Josh Inglis, who was ineligible to bat due to prolonged absence from the field, Carey seized the opportunity. The left-hander played with positive intent, keeping the scoreboard moving and outscoring Smith comfortably.
Lack of Bite from Sri Lanka’s Bowlers
Australia’s scoring rate remained high throughout the day, comfortably exceeding four runs per over. The Smith-Carey stand alone struck at 4.34 runs per over, putting Sri Lanka’s bowling attack under constant pressure.
Sri Lanka’s struggles with creating wicket-taking opportunities were evident from one key statistic—only one review was taken after the 25th over of Australia’s innings, spanning a massive 55-over period. The bowlers failed to extract much assistance from the surface, allowing Australia to dominate proceedings.
The hosts had their best chance early in the day when Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten 85 helped them post a respectable 257-run total. When Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne fell cheaply to the new ball, Sri Lanka seemed to have clawed their way back into the contest.
However, Smith and Carey turned the tide in Australia’s favor, first with a steadying 54-run stand between Smith and Usman Khawaja (36) before the massive unbeaten 239-run partnership between Smith and Carey.
Sri Lanka’s Batting Performance
Sri Lanka had Kusal Mendis (85) and Dinesh Chandimal (74)* to thank for their first-innings total of 257. Both batters put up a fight against Australia’s bowling attack, with Mitchell Starc (3-37) and Matthew Kuhnemann (3-63) leading the way for the visitors.
Despite a promising start, Sri Lanka’s batting lineup crumbled against Australia’s disciplined bowling, leaving them with a below-par total. Mendis fought valiantly, remaining unbeaten, but lacked significant support from the lower order.
Australia’s Game to Lose
With a 73-run lead and two set batters at the crease, Australia holds a dominant position heading into Day 3. The pitch is expected to deteriorate further, making batting increasingly difficult in the coming days. Smith and Carey will look to extend Australia’s advantage, possibly aiming to bat Sri Lanka out of the game.
For Sri Lanka, the challenge now lies in breaking this marathon stand quickly and limiting the damage. Their bowlers must find consistency to restrict Australia’s lead before the pitch starts assisting spin even more.
Brief Scores
- Sri Lanka: 257 all out (Kusal Mendis 85*, Dinesh Chandimal 74; Mitchell Starc 3-37, Matthew Kuhnemann 3-63)
- Australia: 330-3 (Alex Carey 139*, Steve Smith 120*; Nishan Peiris 2-70)
- Australia leads by 73 runs
With Australia in firm control, the upcoming sessions will be crucial for Sri Lanka. If they fail to halt Smith and Carey early on Day 3, the match could slip further away from their grasp.
