Lahiru Kumara Rescues Sri Lanka on Day 1
The Sri Lankan team will look to add as many runs as possible to their total, while the Australian team will aim to capitalize on the momentum gained on the first day. The conditions at Galle are expected to play a crucial role in the outcome of the match, with the hot and humid weather making it challenging for the batsmen to score runs.
Australia dominated the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, limiting the hosts to 229-9, with Lahiru Kumara adding 59* for the last wicket to help his team recover from a precarious position.
The day started with Australia's Steve Smith expressing disappointment with the condition of the pitch, describing it as "very dry" and "pasty in colour", and "designed to start offering plenty of assistance to spinners". However, the Sri Lankan batters fought back, keeping the Australian attack at bay on a hot and humid day. Dimuth Karunaratne made a hard-fought 36, while Dinesh Chandimal scored 74 off 163 deliveries before he was stumped by Alex Carey.
Nathan Lyon picked up three wickets, including Karunaratne, with loopy off-breaks and a slider, while Mitchell Starc returned with a spell of testing reverse-swing before tea. The Australian bowlers played a crucial role in breaking the back of Sri Lanka's resistance, with Kuhnemann and Travis Head picking up wickets in the latter innings. Despite this, Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Kumara added 59* for the last wicket to help Sri Lanka recover from a precarious position.
The day ended with Sri Lanka at 229/9, and the team's batting coach believes that they should have aimed for a total of 350-400 runs to gain control. However, the conditions are expected to become increasingly difficult for the batsmen, with offbreaks pitching straight and zipping past the batsmen. The match is set to be an exciting one, with the Australian team yet to bat and the Sri Lankan bowlers looking to make an impact.