Captain Steve Smith and wicketkeeper Alex Carey have put Australia in a dominant position on day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
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The tourists were 3-197 at tea, still trailing by 60 runs, with Smith (78*) and Carey (49*) unbeaten in the middle.
Openers Travis Head and Usman Khawaja got the innings off to a flying start before spinner Nishan Peiris generated some extra turn off the surface, with the slogging South Australian edging to slip for 21.
The following over, Galle wizard Prabath Jayasuriya trapped the struggling Marnus Labuschagne on the pads for 4, with Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva successfully overturning the on-field decision. The hosts called for another review against rival captain Smith the next ball, but Hawkeye suggested the delivery was sliding down leg.
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Following a 54-run partnership for the third wicket, Khawaja departed early in the afternoon session for 36 after Peiris produced a flatter delivery that struck him on the kneeroll, with the Queenslander wasting a review before trudging off the ground. Smith was also given out LBW by umpire Joel Wilson on 23, but the decision was overturned after ball-tracking showed impact was outside off stump.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey, promoted to No. 5 ahead of sore teammate Josh Inglis, steadied the ship alongside Smith, with the duo forming an unbeaten century stand to give Australia the ascendancy at tea. The New South Welshman looked in sublime touch, expertly picking gaps in the field and slapping Jayasuriya down the ground for a stylish six.
To stem the flow of runs, Sri Lanka’s spinners resorted to targeting Smith’s legs from around the wicket, but the right-hander was happy to fend them away with his front pad.
Earlier in the morning session, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 257 in 97.4 overs after wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis frustrated the Australians with some annoying runs.
Resuming at 9-229 on Friday morning, Mendis and tailender Lahiru Kumara added a further 28 runs to delay Australia’s first innings, with spinners Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann struggling to unearth a breakthrough.
Kuhnemann eventually wrapped up the innings when Kumara edged towards second slip, where all-rounder Beau Webster snaffled a low chance, leaving Mendis stranded on 85 not out.
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