Physical Address
Suite 5, 181 High Street,
Willoughby North NSW 2068
Head magic saves Aussies from bad luck | 01:06
Usman Khawaja and Josh Inglis compiled career-defining hundreds before Sri Lanka crumbled in a late collapse as Australia dominated day two of the Warne–Muralitharan Trophy opener in Galle.
Watch every ball of The 2025 Women’s Ashes Series LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
The tourists declared at 6-654, Australia’s highest Test score in Asia, after Khawaja notched a career-best 232 and Inglis clobbered a 90-ball hundred, becoming the first Australian to score a century on Test debut since Adam Voges achieved the feat in 2015.
“I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet,” Inglis said at stumps.
“Really special day, and something I’m really proud of.
DAY 2 TALKING POINTS: Debutant’s stunning ton creates selection headache
“It’s something that no one can ever take away from me. It’ll probably all go downhill from here.”
In response, Sri Lanka was 3-44 at stumps on day two, still trailing by 610 runs, after Australia’s bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka’s vulnerable top order in the evening session.
Resuming at 2-330 on Thursday morning, Khawaja and captain Steve Smith carried on from where they left off the previous evening, combining for a 266-run stand for the third wicket, Australia’s highest Test partnership in Sri Lanka. The tourists passed 400 with an overthrow from a missed run-out chance at the non-striker’s end, which would have seen Khawaja depart for 177.
Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay broke the marathon stand in the 100th over after Sri Lanka successfully overturned an LBW shout against Smith, trapped on the pads for 141.
MATCH CENTRE: Sri Lanka vs Australia first Test live scorecard
After slapping his first delivery as a Test cricketer towards the boundary, Inglis picked up the scoring rate with an assortment of sweeps and laps, treating Sri Lanka’s spinners with disdain.
Khawaja, having already posted Australia’s highest Test score in Sri Lanka, reached 200 with a delicate nudge into the covers, acknowledging his teammates in the dugout before looking to the heavens and kissing the turf. The only other Australian aged over 38 to hit a Test double-hundred was Sir Donald Bradman.
The duo added 146 for the fourth wicket to heap pain on the Sri Lankans before spinner Prabath Jayasuriya produced a flatter delivery that kissed Khawaja’s outside edge, with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis taking a sharp chance behind the stumps.
Inglis was given out LBW on 58 after miscuing a sweep shot against spinner Nishan Peiris, but the West Australian successfully reviewed the decision when replays showed a bottom edge.
The 29-year-old passed triple figures with a back-foot punch through the covers, leaping in the air with delight and saluting his family in the stands after passing the milestone. However, he fell victim to Jayasuriya the following over after charging down the pitch and chipping a leading edge towards cover, trudging off for 102.
Vandersay secured his third scalp when all-rounder Beau Webster clipped towards cover for 23, with birthday boy Mitchell Starc launching a six over cow corner before Australia’s declaration.
The team’s marathon effort surpassed Australia’s previous highest Test score in Asia — 617 all out against Pakistan in 1980.
Jayasuriya finished with 3-193 from 60 overs, the most deliveries he’s bowled in an innings, while Nishan Peiris’ figures of 0-189 were the worst for a Sri Lankan in Tests.
Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne was fortunate not to be dismissed for a diamond duck in the first over as Inglis missed a run-out chance at the striker’s end following a suicidal single.
Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, who recently recovered from a nasty finger injury, only needed six deliveries to unearth Australia’s breakthrough, trapping Oshada Fernando on the knee roll for 7.
A few minutes later, substitute fielder Nathan McSweeney held onto a juggling chance at gully to send Karunaratne back to the sheds and hand Starc his 700th international dismissal, parrying the ball into the air before spinning around and completing the catch over his shoulder.
However, McSweeney couldn’t repeat the effort in the seventh over when a fast chance burst through his fingers, giving Dinesh Chandimal an extra life on 5.
Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon was bitterly unlucky not to dismiss Sri Lankan veteran Angelo Mathews when the ball dribbles back into his stumps, only for the bails to leave their groove without falling to the ground. However, Mathews couldn’t make the most of the reprieve, gloving towards short leg in Lyon’s following over, where Travis Head held onto a stunning one-handed catch.
Chandimal (9*) and Kamindu Mendis (13*) are unbeaten at stumps, with rain forcing a premature end to the day’s play.
