Australia needed just two wickets to claim the series, with Sri Lanka leading by only 54 runs in their second innings at stumps on Day 3 (8th February) in the second Test in Galle.
Trailing by a massive 157 runs, Sri Lanka found themselves in early trouble once again, losing three wickets within 39 runs. This included the dismissal of Dimuth Karunaratne, who played his final innings in International Cricket and departed for just 14 runs. Matthew Kuhnemann removed both openers before Dinesh Chandimal was caught at mid-off off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.
Angelo Mathews looked more composed at the crease as he attempted to rebuild the innings alongside Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva. However, the fourth and fifth-wicket partnerships only neared the 50-run mark. Kamindu holed out at mid-off while trying to go inside-out against Lyon, while de Silva was caught low one-handed at slip by Steve Smith off Kuhnemann, leaving the hosts struggling at 128/5.
Mathews was then joined by Kusal Mendis, and the duo batted for a period, hoping to survive until the close of play without further damage. The veteran reached his first half-century of the series, while Kusal counter-attacked the bowlers. They put on a fighting 70-run stand, but Mathews eventually fell for 76, attempting a sweep that found Beau Webster at backward square leg.
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Ramesh Mendis did not last long, dismissed by Webster, who bowled off-spin despite being a medium pacer. The day ended with the wicket of Prabath Jayasuriya off the very first ball of the final over, as Kuhnemann picked up his fourth. At stumps, Sri Lanka were 211/8, with Kusal unbeaten on 48.
Earlier, Australia resumed their first innings on day three at 330/3, but the Sri Lankan bowlers made the most of the conditions, utilising the second new ball from the start of play. It took just 4.3 overs for them to break the massive 259-run partnership between Steve Smith and Alex Carey.
Smith was caught behind off Jayasuriya after crafting a fine hundred. Two balls later, the left-arm spinner cleaned up Josh Inglis before he could trouble the scorers. Carey became Jayasuriya’s fourth victim as the visitors were reduced to 373/6. His 156-run knock became the highest score by an Australian wicketkeeper-batter in the subcontinent.
Debutant Cooper Connolly had a brief stay, dismissed by Nishan Peiris. Jayasuriya claimed his 11th five-wicket haul—and ninth in Galle—with the wicket of Mitchell Starc. Ramesh Mendis then wrapped up the innings by taking the final two wickets, as Australia were bowled out for 414. Despite losing seven wickets in the morning session for just 84 runs, they secured a commanding first-innings lead.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka 257 (97.4) Kusal Mendis 85*, Dinesh Chandimal 74, Dimuth Karunaratne 36, Mitchell Starc 3/37, Matthew Kuhnemann 3/63, Nathan Lyon 3/96 & 211/8 (62.1) Angelo Mathews 76, Kusal Mendis 48*, Dhananjaya de Silva 23, Matthew Kuhnemann 4/52, Nathan Lyon 3/80
Australia 414 (106.4) Alex Carey 156, Steve Smith 131, Usman Khawaja 36, Beau Webster 31, Prabath Jayasuriya 5/151, Nishan Peiris 3/94, Ramesh Mendis 2/81
Stumps: Day 3 – Sri Lanka lead by 54 runs.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | b Nathan Lyon | 11 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 35.48 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | b Nathan Lyon | 36 | 83 | 3 | 0 | 43.37 |
| Dinesh Chandimal | st Alex Carey b Matthew Kuhemann | 74 | 163 | 6 | 1 | 45.40 |
| Angelo Mathews | c Alex Carey b Nathan Lyon | 1 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 3.85 |
| Kamindu Mendis | c Steve Smith b Travis Head | 13 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 61.90 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | c Beau Webster b Mitchell Starc | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kusal Mendis | not out | 85 | 139 | 10 | 1 | 61.15 |
| Ramesh Mendis | c Alex Carey b Mitchell Starc | 28 | 94 | 2 | 0 | 29.79 |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | c Steve Smith b Mitchell Starc | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nishan Peiris | b Matthew Kuhemann | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Lahiru Kumara | c Beau Webster b Matthew Kuhemann | 2 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 7.69 |
| Extras | 7 (b 4 , lb 1 , nb 2, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 257/10 (97.4 Overs, RR: 2.63) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc | 16 | 3 | 37 | 3 | 2.31 | |
| Matthew Kuhemann | 33.4 | 9 | 63 | 3 | 1.89 | |
| Nathan Lyon | 34 | 5 | 96 | 3 | 2.82 | |
| Beau Webster | 3 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4.33 | |
| Cooper Connolly | 3 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 4.00 | |
| Travis Head | 8 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 3.88 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Head | c Dhananjaya de Silva b Nishan Peiris | 21 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 95.45 |
| Usman Khawaja | lbw b Nishan Peiris | 36 | 57 | 3 | 0 | 63.16 |
| Marnus Labuschagne | lbw b Prabath Jayasuriya | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Steve Smith | c Kusal Mendis b Prabath Jayasuriya | 131 | 254 | 10 | 1 | 51.57 |
| Alex Carey | b Prabath Jayasuriya | 156 | 188 | 15 | 2 | 82.98 |
| Josh Inglis | b Prabath Jayasuriya | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Beau Webster | b Ramesh Mendis | 31 | 62 | 3 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Cooper Connolly | c Ramesh Mendis b Nishan Peiris | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Mitchell Starc | b Prabath Jayasuriya | 8 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 27.59 |
| Nathan Lyon | not out | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Matthew Kuhemann | not out | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Extras | 15 (b 6 , lb 9 , nb 0, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 414/9 (106.4 Overs, RR: 3.88) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahiru Kumara | 7 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 5.29 | |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 5 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 3.60 | |
| Nishan Peiris | 31 | 4 | 94 | 3 | 3.03 | |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | 38 | 6 | 151 | 5 | 3.97 | |
| Ramesh Mendis | 22.4 | 0 | 81 | 2 | 3.62 | |
| Kamindu Mendis | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 6.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | b Matthew Kuhemann | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | c Alex Carey b Matthew Kuhemann | 14 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Dinesh Chandimal | c Beau Webster b Nathan Lyon | 12 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 30.00 |
| Angelo Mathews | c Beau Webster b Nathan Lyon | 76 | 149 | 4 | 1 | 51.01 |
| Kamindu Mendis | c Usman Khawaja b Nathan Lyon | 14 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | c Steve Smith b Matthew Kuhemann | 23 | 46 | 4 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Steve Smith b Nathan Lyon | 50 | 54 | 5 | 1 | 92.59 |
| Ramesh Mendis | c Travis Head b Beau Webster | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | c Steve Smith b Matthew Kuhemann | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Lahiru Kumara | b Beau Webster | 9 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Nishan Peiris | not out | 4 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Extras | 15 (b 8 , lb 1 , nb 1, w 0, pen 5) |
| Total | 231/10 (68.1 Overs, RR: 3.39) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc | 4 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 5.50 | |
| Matthew Kuhemann | 23 | 5 | 63 | 4 | 2.74 | |
| Travis Head | 9 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 3.67 | |
| Nathan Lyon | 28 | 3 | 84 | 4 | 3.00 | |
| Cooper Connolly | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4.50 | |
| Beau Webster | 2.1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2.86 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usman Khawaja | not out | 27 | 44 | 3 | 0 | 61.36 |
| Travis Head | c Kusal Mendis b Prabath Jayasuriya | 20 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 86.96 |
| Marnus Labuschagne | not out | 26 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Extras | 2 (b 2 , lb 0 , nb 0, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 75/1 (17.4 Overs, RR: 4.25) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramesh Mendis | 3 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 5.33 | |
| Nishan Peiris | 8 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 4.38 | |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | 6 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 3.33 | |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | 0.4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7.50 | |
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