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Matt Kuhnemann’s stunning second five-fa | 01:33
Sri Lanka has suffered its heaviest defeat in Test history as spinners Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann steered Australia towards a comprehensive innings and 242-run victory in Galle on Saturday.
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The tourists have retained the Warne–Muralitharan Trophy after taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, with 15 wickets falling on a chaotic fourth day at Galle International Stadium.
Lyon (7-135) and Kuhnemann (9-149) wreaked havoc on the turning deck as the hapless Sri Lankans were rolled for 165 in 52.2 overs and then 247 in 54.3 overs.
Earlier during the morning session, Sri Lanka lost 5-9 in a frantic collapse as Kuhnemann bagged his second five-wicket haul in Tests, with Australia securing a monstrous 489-run first-innings lead.
Plagued by careless shot selection, Sri Lanka’s batting didn’t improve in the second innings, with the lone highlight being Jeffrey Vandersay’s maiden Test fifty.
“It was almost a near-perfect performance,” Australian captain Steve Smith said during the post-match press conference.
MATCH CENTRE: Sri Lanka vs Australia first Test scorecard
Sri Lanka’s heaviest defeats in Tests
Innings and 242 runs vs AUS in Galle, 2025
Innings and 239 runs vs IND in Nagpur, 2017
Innings and 229 runs vs RSA in Cape Town, 2001
Innings and 222 runs vs PAK in Colombo, 2023
Innings and 222 runs vs IND in Mohali, 2022
Resuming the first innings at 5-136, Sri Lanka’s hopes of stealing a draw from the jaws of defeat rested heavily on Dinesh Chandimal and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, the team’s last recognised batters. However, Kuhnemann broke the 49-run stand when Mendis top-edged a sweep shot towards Todd Murphy at square leg for 21.
The dangerous Chandimal departed for 72 after missing a reverse sweep against Lyon, while a desperate review for LBW couldn’t save the Sri Lankan. Prabath Jayasuriya was stumped for a sixth-ball duck after needlessly charging down the deck at Kuhnemann before Nishan Peiris was caught at short leg following a tentative prod against Lyon.
With six fielders crowded around the bat, Kuhnemann secured his five-wicket haul when tailender Vandersay miscued a wild slog towards cover, where Mitchell Starc settled underneath a regulation catch. Having clinched Australia’s fourth-highest first-innings lead in Test history, captain Smith didn’t think twice before enforcing the follow-on.
Sri Lanka’s second innings got off to a dreadful start, with both openers back in the sheds within four overs. Starc produced an trademark inswinging yorker to trap Oshada Fernando on the pads for 6 before Dimuth Karunaratne was bowled for a fourth-ball duck following an ill-judged leave against spinner Murphy, with the delivery crashing into the top of off stump.
Chandimal and Sri Lankan veteran Angelo Mathews combined for a 69-run partnership for the third wicket to stem the flow of wickets, with Murphy at one stage conceding three consecutive boundaries. However, Lyon struck on the final delivery of the morning session when Smith successfully called for a review, with replays confirming the ball brushed Chandimal’s bat before Travis Head completed a catch at short leg.
Chandimal became just the 12th cricketer in Test history to be dismissed twice in the same session.
In the afternoon session, Smith neglected to review an LBW chance with Angelo Mathews on 40 to deny Lyon a wicket, but the off-spinner got his man a few minutes later when the Sri Lankan veteran top-edged a reverse sweep into his shoulder, with Head snaffling another chance under the lid.
Kamindu Mendis holed out to deep mid-wicket for 32 before captain Dhananjaya de Silva and gloveman Mendis steadied the ship with a 65-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
The Sri Lankan skipper slapped Kuhnemann down the ground for six but departed the next delivery after attempting to replicate the shot, caught by Beau Webster at point for 39. The following over, Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey completed an awkward stumping to send Mendis packing for 34, dislodging the bails with the ball wedged between his wrists and chest.
Australia’s spinners set about cleaning up the Sri Lankan tail, with Lyon bowling Jayasuriya for 1 and Kuhnemann rattling Nishan for a 14-ball duck before Vandersay clobbered some late runs in an entertaining cameo of 53 (47).
However, Kuhnemann got the job done to wrap up Australia’s dominant performance, the nation’s fourth-heaviest victory in Test history.
The second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia gets underway at the same venue on Thursday, with the first ball scheduled for 3.30pm AEDT.
Australia’s heaviest wins in Tests
Innings and 360 runs vs RSA in Johannesburg, 2002
Innings and 332 runs vs ENG in Brisbane, 1946
Innings and 259 runs vs RSA in Gqeberha, 1950
Innings and 242 runs vs SL in Galle, 2025
Innings and 226 runs vs IND in Brisbane, 1947
