Sri Lanka finally played host to Australia, their first Test series commencing with an exciting and hotly awaited opening match at Galle International Stadium. The contest that began featured the Australian team trying to cement its authority in the subcontinent’s pitches and Sri Lanka striving to gain momentum by taking home advantage. Skill and patience as well as adaptability are expected on day one due to spin-friendly conditions.
Table of Contents
Toss and Playing Conditions
Sri Lanka’s captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and decided to bat first as per the old adage of batting first in Galle as the pitch there is known to be slow. Batting early gives the best chance to post a competitive total before the surface deteriorates.
The weather was clear, with high humidity and strong coastal winds, which could help fast bowlers early on. However, as the day went on, spinners were expected to come into play.
Sri Lanka’s First Innings: A Struggle Against Spin
Sri Lanka’s reply started off sensibly with the openers, Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando. As they batted against the fire brand pace of Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, they seemed poised initially, but did not take too long to collapse.
Mitchell Starc, who was able to generate movement with the new ball, struck in his second over, dismissing Karunaratne for just 8 runs. A sharp inswinging delivery found the gap between bat and pad, sending the Sri Lankan skipper back to the pavilion.
Oshada Fernando fell shortly afterwards, off Nathan Lyon’s spin. Lyon was brought into the attack early, and he took sharp turn and bounce that unsettled the batsmen. The tentative defense of Fernando produced an edge that Alex Carey snapped behind the stumps.
At 32 for two wickets, Sri Lanka were in trouble.
Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal’s Brief Resistance
Veteran Angelo Mathews and seasoned campaigner Dinesh Chandimal attempted to steady the innings with a 48-run partnership. Mathews, who has always been a player who has been good at playing under pressure, played very cautiously, looking for defensive plays against Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann.
The breakthrough came when Chandimal was trapped LBW by Kuhnemann for 21. The ball skidded on quickly, and Chandimal, playing for turn, missed it completely.
Mathews tried to counterattack but fell to Lyon’s brilliance. A flighted delivery tempted him into a lofted shot, only to be caught at mid-off. He walked back after scoring 39, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 98/4.
Middle-Order Collapse: Lyon’s Five-Wicket Magic
From a shaky position, Sri Lanka’s innings took a further nosedive as Lyon and Kuhnemann ran through the middle order.
Kamindu Mendis (12) was undone by Lyon’s drift and bounce, caught at slip.
Dhananjaya de Silva (18) seemed to be a contender but perished trying to sweep, going to short leg.
Kusal Mendis (9) mistimed a delivery from Kuhnemann and edged it to the keeper.
Sri Lanka looked a long, long way short of 200 when it was reduced to 143/7.
Dickwella’s Counterattack: One Man Army
Just when it looked like Sri Lanka would fold for under 150, wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella played a fearless counterattacking knock.
He took the attack to the Australian spinners, sweeping aggressively and stepping out to disrupt their length. His 58 off 59 balls included seven boundaries and a six, bringing some much-needed respectability to the Sri Lankan total.
However, once he got dismissed to Lyon—caught at deep midwicket while trying another big shot—the tail could not resist much.
Sri Lanka’s First Innings Total: 212 All Out
Nathan Lyon was the star of the show, taking 5 wickets for 90 runs, while Kuhnemann provided excellent support with 3 for 55.
Key Performances in Sri Lanka’s Innings:
Niroshan Dickwella: 58 (59)
Angelo Mathews: 39 (71)
Nathan Lyon: 5/90
Matthew Kuhnemann: 3/55
Australia Response:
A Confident Start with Minor Setbacks
Trailing by 212, Australia’s openers, Usman Khawaja and Travis Head, decided to start cautiously. The Sri Lankan bowlers did look to exploit the conditions: particularly Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara.
Travis Head Falls Early
The batting woes for Travis Head persisted when he lost cheaply to Ramesh Mendis. Trying to push a turning delivery, he found an edge towards slip for a mere 6 runs.
Labuschagne’s Brief Visit
Marnus Labuschagne came to the crease with Khawaja and started looking to play aggressively. Yet, his innings was brief, as he went for 13, sweeping quite out of character directly to short fine leg.
Steven Smith’s Shock Ouster
Australian captain Steven Smith, who has been a pillar of consistency, walked in with high expectations. However, he was dismissed for just 6, failing to read a sharp turner from Mendis. His dismissal left Australia at 63/3, giving Sri Lanka a glimmer of hope.
Khawaja’s Steady Knock & Carey’s Resilience
Usman Khawaja, however, did not give up. The left-hander batted patiently, using his feet well against the spinners and rotating the strike well. He remained unbeaten on 47 at stumps.
Alex Carey, promoted up the order, provided crucial support, ensuring Australia didn’t lose further wickets before the close of play.
End of Day 1: Australia 98/3 (Trail by 114 Runs)
Key Performances in Australia’s Innings:
Usman Khawaja: 47* (108)
Ramesh Mendis: 2/34
Asitha Fernando: 1/28
Analysis & Key Takeaways from Day 1
1. Nathan Lyon’s Brilliance
As in the first innings, once again Lyon proved to be one of the best spinners in Test cricket. His ability to control the game with subtle variations in flight, turn, and bounce was the prime reason that he dismantled the Sri Lanka batting order successfully.
2. Sri Lanka’s Missed Opportunity
Winning the toss and batting first, Sri Lanka had the advantage. However, the lack of partnerships and poor shot selection cost them a bigger total.
3. Australia’s Balanced Approach
Despite losing three wickets, Australia’s methodical approach has kept them in a strong position. If Khawaja and Carey can extend their partnership, they could set up a commanding lead on Day 2.
What to Expect on Day 2?
Can Khawaja convert his solid start into a big hundred?
Will Sri Lanka’s spinners exploit the pitch further?
Can Australia take first-innings lead and dominate the Test?
The day 2 promises an interesting battle between Australia’s batting depth and Sri Lanka’s spin attack. More action unfolds from this gripping test match!
