Second Smith Arrives as Aussie Omen Fulfills; Major 'Concern' Deepens

ANOTHER Test century for Smith | 00:40

Australia is in a dominant position against Sri Lanka after stand-in skipper Steve Smith and wicketkeeper Alex Carey produced a masterful partnership on the second day of the Second Test in Galle.

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After a record-breaking triumph of Sri Lanka in the opening Test, the unbeaten 239-run partnership of Smith and Carey saw the Australians reach 3-330 at stumps, given the tourists a lead of 73. Smith is unbeaten on 120, while Carey is not out on 139.

Another early exit for Marnus Labuschagne was the only real point of concern for Australia, though there are queries regarding the fitness of Josh Inglis, who had been due to bat at No.5 but was sidelined due to back spasms.

Australia’s captain Steve Smith (R) celebrates with his teammate Alex Carey after scoring a century (100 runs) during the second day of the second Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on February 7, 2025. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP)Source: AFP

THE SECOND-COMING OF STEVE SMITH

After Steve Smith’s superb century in the Boxing Day Test, prominent Indian broadcaster Harsha Bhogle pulled out the crystal ball and gazed into the future.

And the Fox Cricket expert liked what he saw for the Australian, noting that with the fixtures ahead of him, the champion might well cash in throughout 2025 in what is shaping as the second-coming for Smith.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he now gets into a rich vein of form. He’s going to Sri Lanka now (and) if Australia continue playing like this, he is going to score a lot of runs,” Bhogle told foxsports.com.au.

“He might have some time off in the summer after that. Then he preps and goes and plays a Test match in England. And then he’s going to the West Indies. He is going to score a lot of runs. He could have a blockbuster 2025.”

While the superstar missed out on becoming the fourth Australian to reach the 10,000 run milestone with a couple of failures on a green SCG pitch, he has excelled in Sri Lanka.

After scoring 141 in the first Test of the current series in Galle, he was superb again on Friday with his 120 not out taking tally for the series to 261 in two innings.

Second Smith Arrives as Aussie Omen Fulfills; Major 'Concern' Deepens

By the time Smith reached the tea break unbeaten on 78, 142 of the 151 balls he had faced in the innings were delivered by off-spinners.

Given he had not been dismissed by a finger spinner since July, 2023, his level of confidence against the Sri Lankan attack was understandable.

Such was his comfort, Smith opted to use the reverse-sweep semi-regularly the closer he got to his 36th century, which is a surprise given it is a shot that he has rarely played before.

After breaking one record held by Ricky Ponting when taking his 197th Test catch on Thursday, he snared another of the Punter’s records on route to his 18th century outside of Australia, which also equals a feat of the Tasmanian.

Smith has now scored the most runs of any Australian cricketer in Asia, having passed the 1889 runs Ponting scored on the subcontinent in 48 innings at an average of 41.97.

His seventh century in Asia also surpassed the previous record for Australians of six made by Allan Border and he is now within five centuries of Ponting’s record tally of hundreds for Australia of 41.

Border, Matthew Hayden and Usman Khawaja, who made 36 runs on Friday, round out the top five for the nation in terms of runs scored in Asia, with the latter having the highest average of 60.76. The left-handed opener has made 1580 runs from 30 innings.

Former Australian cricketer Simon Katich has a theory regarding Smith, saying the veteran excels when captaining the country, a role he is holding in Sri Lanka in Pat Cummins’ absence. It is his 17th century when captaining his country,

“He knows what he is doing in these conditions and he is at the peak of his powers. He has a wealth of knowledge,” Katich said on the Seven network.

Another ex-Australian batter Greg Blewett was also full of praise for Smith, whose only real concern came when he was beaten by the flight from off-spinner Nishan Peiris when on 70.

That delivery not only deceived Smith but, after somehow bouncing over the top of middle stump, also beat wicket keeper Kusal Mendis, who made an unbeaten 85 when batting. That aside, it was a chanceless knock from the Australian skipper.

“It is great to see a champion of the game get back into tip-top form. He is back to the Steven Smith of old. I am just rapt he is making runs again,” Blewett said.

“There was a period of time there where he was really struggling and … it is very pleasing to see (him back) and he is always hungry for runs.”

HAS CAREY PLAYED HIMSELF INTO THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY?

While Smith is enjoying a resurgence, Alex Carey is in the form of his career and it may just earn him an important role in the Champions Trophy later this month.

The South Australian made the most of being elevated to No.5 in place of Inglis, who was sidelined after suffering back spasms and not able to bat when Khawaja exited the crease in the 25th over.

While Smith was able to pick the bowlers off by working singles at will, Carey had the luxury of batting more briskly as Australian closed on and then passed the Sri Lankan first innings tally of 257.

The 33-year-old, whose other century came in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in 2022, also scored an unbeaten 98 against New Zealand 11 months ago. He has responded brilliantly to being dropped for Inglis midway through the 2023 World Cup.

At the start of the summer, Carey revealed he had adjusted his stance at the crease by raising his bat slightly and the move has reaped rewards.

The left-hander made some handy contributions during a Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series where batting was difficult, which included 70 in the first innings in the washed-out Brisbane Test, and was not out on 46 in Australia’s record-breaking win in the first Test in Galle.

“(That was) outstanding from Alex Carey. His keeping has always been really, really tidy and now he is getting some great consistency with his batting. I have loved his temperament today,” Blewett said.

“You just want to see reward. He deserved 100. He has played beautifully. I could not be happier for one of the great people in cricket in Alex Carey.”

Carey has played more than 100 white ball games for his country and with several experienced teammates ruled out of the Champions Trophy, ex-Aussie bowler Trent Copeland said there is no reason he cannot play as a specialist batter in the tournament.

“There is no reason given recent exits from the Champions Trophy … that this man can’t become a three format player again for Australia,” Copeland said on the Seven broadcast.

THE VANDERSAY HEAD-SCRATCHER

Sri Lanka’s decision to drop Jeffrey Vandersay for the second Galle Test came back to bite them on Friday, with the leg-spinner’s services sorely missed during Australia’s first innings.

Despite leaking plenty of runs, Vandersay was comfortably Sri Lanka’s most threatening bowler during last week’s series opener, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne, Smith and Beau Webster.

The 35-year-old trapped Smith on the pads for 141 after sneaking a delivery through the Australian captain’s defences, while he found Labuschagne’s outside edge with a ripping leg break.

Vandersay also cracked his maiden Test fifty in the second innings, delaying Australia’s victory with an entertaining counterpunch.

However, wary of the number of left-handers within Australia’s top order, Sri Lanka left out Vandersay for the series finale, instead picking off-spinner Ramesh Mendis.

The decision backfired drastically on day two when Smith put the tourists in a dominant position in partnership with Carey.

The New South Welshman has not been dismissed by a finger spinner in Tests since July 2023, and he looked in complete control against Sri Lanka’s three tweakers on Friday — the lone exception being a superb delivery from Nishan Peiris that narrowly evaded middle stump. Meanwhile, Mendis finished with figures of 0-70 from 19 overs, failing to reward the selectors’ faith.

As Carey closed on his second Test century, former Australian bowler Trent Copeland noted the selection stunner that had left everyone dumbfounded.

“Aren’t they crying out for a leg-spinner right now?” he said.

It is point Simon Katich also agreed with, saying the Sri Lankan attack had little variety and that Vandersay was worth backing in.

“Have the missed a trick playing the aggressive spin of Vandersay? You would have to question that and ask whether they pulled the right rein at selection to have a balanced attack?” he said.

‘INDECISIVE’ MARNUS IS AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST ‘WORRY’

Marnus Labuschagne’s worrying slump with the bat continued in Galle on Friday, with the Australian No. 3 under mounting pressure to keep his Test career alive.

The Queenslander was dismissed by Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, caught on the crease and trapped on the pads after sitting back on a delivery he should have come forward to. The hosts successfully overturned the on-field decision, with the right-hander trudging off for 4.

“I just wonder how sharp he was in the mind, because there was indecisive footwork,” former Australian batter Simon Katich said on commentary.

“We know that he likes to play on the back foot … but you’ve got to get forward against the new ball.”

Katich later noted on SEN that it is “the first time he’s really been challenged for his spot in the team throughout his career.”

During the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, Labuschagne has contributed 909 runs at 27.54, with one hundred in 19 matches. The 30-year-old has mustered one century in his 50 most recent Test knocks, dating back to December 2022.

He has played a handful of vital knocks during that period, including his twin fifties against India during this summer’s Boxing Day Test at the MCG, but he’s quickly running out of credits.

“He’s the worry going forward for the Australian cricket team,” Blewett said on Channel 7.

“For your No. 3 to score one hundred in that time is a bit of a worry going forward as we look towards a big summer next year.”

With the likes of Inglis and Kurtis Patterson breathing down his neck, Labuschagne could be fighting to keep his spot in the Test side ahead of June’s World Test Championship final against South Africa, while the looming return of Cameron Green throws an additional spanner in the works.

Green is expected to be available for the WTC Final as a specialist batter, while opener Sam Konstas will almost certainly return to the starting XI when Travis Head slides back down to the middle order.

And seven doesn’t go into six. Someone is going to have to miss out. Labuschagne could be batting for his Test future in the second innings in Galle, though Australia’s dominance on Friday suggests he may not get the chance.

Marnus Labuschagne’s batting average in WTC cycles

2019-21 – 72.82

2021-23 – 52.53

2023-25 – 27.54

A SLOW START BY THE SPINNERS AFTER A MARATHON OPENING STINT

Australia’s stirring response with the bat on Day 2 negated a slow start early on in which the tourists conceded 28 runs before snaring the final Sri Lankan wicket.

While both Nathan Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann, who snared the stubborn Lahiru Kumara for 2 from 26 deliveries, finished with three wickets apiece, both took time to warm-up on Friday.

It is scarcely a surprise given the heavy workload of the two spinners and strike bowler Mitchell Starc in steamy conditions on the opening day of the second Test.

The decision to opt for three specialist bowlers, along with all-rounders and part-timers, for the first time since the Ashes tour of England in 2023 was a gamble, though the partnership of Smith and Carey suggests it will work out.

But having contributed 84 of the 98 overs bowled, it is no surprise the spinning stars were stiff, which resulted in some looser deliveries than usual which were easily tucked away.

“(The bowling) just hasn’t been as disciplined as what we saw yesterday and in the first Test. Both Lyon and Kuhnemann haven’t quite been on song,” Blewett said.

Nor is there any doubt that Todd Murphy would have relished the conditions that were offered up in this Test, as Australia’s bowling coach Daniel Vettori acknowledged.

“The anticipation that the wicket would probably be slightly more extreme than the first Test match, we though that the number of overs would come down and maybe batting would come to the fore,” he said.

“It’s an incredibly tough call on Murph Because I think whenever he has come into the team, he’s done a fantastic job. It was just our interpretation of the wicket that led us to believe that runs were going to be at a premium.”