Debutant Jayasuriya picks up three wickets but Aussies in command  

Rex Clementine in Galle

The spinner friendly turning tracks in Galle International Stadium have posed quite a challenge to visiting teams and since Darren Lehmann in 2004, no Australian batsman had scored a hundred here. But yesterday, Australia had two centurions as Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith posted hundreds to help their side to 298 for five at stumps on day one in the second test.

Since the 2004 game in Galle, Australia had played three Tests here previously and despite them winning two of those games no batter had enjoyed resounding success. Labuschagne, who was given a life on 28 when Niroshan Dickwella missed a stumping chance off Ramesh Mendis, posted his seventh Test hundred and the first overseas while Smith hit his 28th Test hundred and the second against Sri Lanka.

The pair added 134 runs for the third wicket in 223 deliveries as Australia consolidated their position. The stand was eventually broken when Dickwella completed a stump with Laubschagne on 104 to give left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya his maiden Test wicket. He faced 125 deliveries and hit 12 fours.

Australia lost two quick wickets after Labuschagne’s dismissal as Jayasuriya made an impact. The left-arm spinner’s first 12 overs had cost 54 runs and fetched no wickets but his next ten overs produced three wickets for 22 runs as Sri Lanka staged a comeback.

Travis Head was bowled for 12 while Cameron Green, who escaped a stumping chance on one, was trapped leg before wicket for four.

Smith was untroubled though. The former captain had been run out in his only innings in the first Test and he was determined to make amends. Although the pitch offered extra bounce and turn for the spinners, Smith was solid with his defence. He reached his century with a spectacular cover drive off Kasun Rajitha and was unbeaten on 109 at stumps having hit 14 boundaries. He faced 212 balls and had batted for four and half hours.

Sri Lanka were forced to make four changes to the side that lost the first Test by ten wickets after four players tested positive for COVID lead up to the game. Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando and Praveen Jayawickrama were all isolated after their Antigen tests returned positive. The hosts handed Test debuts to Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana and Jayasuriya while Kasun Rajitha returned to the side after missing the first Test. Australia went with an unchanged side.