Read our day two report here:
Thanks for your company and comments, I’ve got to dash off but the match report from day two, a thumping day for Australia in Galle, will be along and posted here very shortly.
Just time for a quick word with a not-very-Yorkshire-sounding Josh Inglis as he reflects on notching up a century on Test debut in front of his proud ma and pa in the crowd:
Josh Inglis:
I don’t reckon it has quite sunk in… It’s a really special day, something I’m really proud of. Getting a boundary first ball is always nice! I’ve been around this group for a while now and it’s always nice to have your family around. Mum and dad made a quick dash over! A Hundred on debut is special, so I’m really happy.”
That’s it for now, we’ll be back tomorrow with all the action from day three. Goodbye!
Rain stops play in Galle - and that's Stumps
Scratch that, drizzle starts to fall in Galle as it has threatened to all afternoon and the umpires decide it is heavy enough to require the covers to be summoned. That is more than likely stumps and Sri Lanka’s batters can breathe a sigh of relief that the rain saved them from having to negotiate three or four nervy overs before the official close.
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14th over: Sri Lanka 44-3 (Chandimal 9, Mendis 13) Lyon is round the wicket to Chandimal who gets off strike with a poke into the off side. Mendis blocks out the rest. Todd Murphy is coming on to replace Kuhnemann, we’ve ten minutes or so to the close of play – Sri Lanka really can’t afford to lose another wicket before then.
13th over: Sri Lanka 43-3 (Chandimal 8, Mendis 13) Kamindu Mendis decides he isn’t going to revert completely into his shell, a length ball from Kuhnemann is slapped high and long over midwicket for SIX. The left-handed (but both really) batter sweeps fine to pick up four off the final ball of the over. More than one way to skin a cat y’see.
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12th over: Sri Lanka 31-3 (Chandimal 8, Mendis 1) Back to back maidens as Sri Lanka drop anchor before the close.
11th over: Sri Lanka 31-3 (Chandimal 8, Mendis 1) Kuhnemann with a maiden to Mendis.
10th over: Sri Lanka 31-3 (Chandimal 8, Mendis 1) The impossibly talented Kamindu Mendis is the new batter. He racked up 182* against the Kiwis in Galle at the end of last year. He needs to do the same if not more here. He gets off the mark with a nudge to leg.
WICKET! Mathews c Head b Lyon 8 (Sri Lanka 30-3)
What a grab by Travis Head! Lyon gets one to spit off the pitch, Mathews gets a glove on it and the ball loops away in the air, Head anticipates and dives full stretch to his left to pluck the ball out of the air one handed! The Aussies are cock-a-hoop!
9th over: Sri Lanka 30-2 (Chandimal 8, Mathews 8) Another probing over from Kuhnemann in fading light. Sri Lanka clinging on somewhat, oohs and aaahs from the Aussies after every delivery.
8th over: Sri Lanka 28-2 (Chandimal 7, Mathews 7) Lyon bowls a maiden but there is drama as Mathews plays one onto his stumps and the bails refuse to fall! The ball flicked his pad and trickled back onto the stumps but too gently to do the business! A life for Angelo.
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7th over: Sri Lanka 28-2 (Chandimal 7, Mathews 7) Drop! A tough chance is shelled by McSweeney in the gully as Chandimal flashes a drive to a length ball from Starc and a thick outside edge flies away at pace. The fielder got a good piece of it but couldn’t cling on, tipping it over the bar and getting a sore finger for his efforts.
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6th over: Sri Lanka 25-2 (Chandimal 5, Mathews 6) The first glimpse of Nathan Lyon in the Test match. He trots and whirls under the evening sun. Close! Turn and bounce from Lyon, Mathews flicks away off his hip and narrowly gets it past leg slip, but he does and it trickles away for a boundary.
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5th over: Sri Lanka 20-2 (Chandimal 5, Mathews 1) Angelo Mathews joins Chandimal in the middle and the latter unfurls a crunching drive through cover to keep Starc grounded. That was a delicious looking stroke. Sri Lanka need a days worth of them… and no further wickets this evening.
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WICKET! Karunaratne c sub (McSweeney) b Starc 7 (Sri Lanka 15-2)
Noooooo! Sri Lanka lose their second wicket as Karunaratne fences a short ball through gully where sub fielder Nathan McSweeney parries the catch up then shows good awareness to dive and cling on a the second attempt. Trouble brewing for the home side.
4th over: Sri Lanka 15-1 (Karunaratne 7, Chandimal 1) Kuhnemann has men around the bat but fluffs his lines with a full toss that Karunaratne jumps on and flashes away for a boundary through midwicket.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 8-1 (Karunaratne 1, Chandimal 0) Starc stitches five dots together against Karunaratne before the batter gets off the mark with a push through mid off. It’s tough going out there for the home side.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 7-1 (Karunaratne 0, Chandimal 0) Dinesh Chandimal arrives in the middle with a hefty job of work to do. There’s at least thirty minutes to get through this evening and Australia have their collective dander well and truly up.
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WICKET! Fernando lbw b Kuhnemann 7 (Sri Lanka 7-1)
Gone! Australia have their first and it is Matt Kuhnemann with the strike in his first over! The spinner gets one to slide on and Fernando made the mistake of playing back and missing the ball dead in front of middle. He reviews in vain, it was hitting the top of middle. A double loss of judgement as he burns a review for his side too.
1st over: Sri Lanka 1-0 (Fernando 1, Karunaratne 0) Starc has two slips and a wide gully in place. He goes full in search of movement, of which there is a hint through the air. Nearly draws Fernando into a false stroke outside off stump with one that shapes away but the batter pulls out of the shot at the last. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. A single off the over to get Sri Lanka underway. Just 653 more of those will do it chaps.
Righto, Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando have strapped the pads on and are out in the middle. The sun is back out in Galle, an intriguing and exceedingly tricky (for Sri Lanka) short session in store. Mitch Starc has the new nut in his mitts and a whole lotta runs to play with.
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“Hi James,”
Hello to you, Jake Kimber Thomson. Here, take my hand…
“On the topic of hand holding Victorian greats, as a junior I was coached by the late great Dean Jones, under whose tutelage we focussed almost exclusively on running between wickets. If one was involved in a run out in a match, at the following training both complicit batters had to hold hands for the entire session.”
Makes sense.
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Australia declare on 654-6!
They’ve pulled the pin! Steve Smith waves his side in, there’s no record Test score at Galle but Australia don’t care about that, they want a dart at a weary Sri Lanka under foreboding skies.
Sri Lanka forlornly trudge from the field as Smith and some of his men hop onto it to go through their warm up motions. Yeh that’d get right in my head too.
Fabulous batting effort from Australia, they’ve got this game in the palm of their hand. A few quick wickets this evening and Sri Lanka are right in the sticky stuff.
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153rd over: Australia 647-6 (Carey 45, Starc 13) Vandersay (cry baby cry) replaces Fernando and is worked for a couple into the leg side by Starc. The weather is holding off for now by the way, a bit of sun peeping through the gloomy clouds.
152nd over: Australia 645-6 (Carey 43, Starc 13) Starc clears the front dog and smears Peiris away over cow corner for SIX!
Australia rack up the second highest Test score in Galle, do they have the 703 Sri Lanka scored against Ireland in 2023 in their sights? The third new ball is due in 8 overs… which means I’ve got to post this from the great man.
Having a conversation re what’s overrated. Our top 5 are
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) November 4, 2017
1 3rd New Ball
2 Holding Hands
3 Queuing
4 Lobster
5 Gourmet Pizzas
What’s yours?
Holding hands gets me everytime!
151st over: Australia 637-6 (Carey 42, Starc 6) Fernando bangs one in short and Starc flogs it away through the leg side for four. He latched onto that and dismissed it in some style. “Starc won’t tolerate that sort of length” says the commentator on my TV – who turns out to be Simon Katich – which implores me to give this one a spin:
Anyone who can re-work Motorcycle Emptiness to include Alec Carey and Asitha Fernando gets a special prize*.
*Respect. That’s it. And I’m sure Nicky Wire follows the OBO too…
150th over: Australia 632-6 (Carey 42, Starc 2) Mitchell Starc is the new batter, we might see some humpty with the long handle here.
WICKET! Webster c Mendis b Vandersay 23 (Australia 629-6)
Good grab! Webster is disappointed but has to depart after driving uppishly into the covers where Mendis snaffles the catch in dodgy seeing conditions. Australia in strife*!
*It’s a bit of fun.
149th over: Australia 628-5 (Carey 40, Webster 23) Carey adds a single as the rain falls more steadily.
148th over: Australia 627-5 (Carey 39, Webster 23) There’s a thin miasma of mizzle falling in Galle. They might not be out there for much longer.
Ray Murphy knows my areas! A fine piece of work sir.
Don’t hit it any harder
Our batsmen are a waiting
Innings almost over
Bowlers get on ice
Trying to go the distance
Talking of big sixes
Once upon a boundary
Under S’Lankan light
What was the curried thing you gave to me”
This song has a special place in my heart as it used to be one of the only ones my daughter would fall asleep to in the car. It’d take a few repeats, mind. You’ll try anything after a billion listens to ‘Babyshark’.
148th over: Australia 627-5 (Carey 39, Webster 23) Now then! Has a message been sent out? Webster trots out of his crease and flays Vandersay over the leg side for four. Is this Australia putting their foot down in search of a declaration?
147th over: Australia 621-5 (Carey 31, Webster 15) Fernando chugs in, a short ball rears up and Webster plays it well under his nose with the full face of the bat. A quick single follows to bring Carey on strike. Shot! Carey lashes a length ball on the up through the off side! That’s the first boundary in a hundred balls.
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146th over: Australia 611-5 (Carey 31, Webster 15) More hammering of the popping crease, more dark clouds rolling in. Three singles worked off Vandersay.
145th over: Australia 608-5 (Carey 29, Webster 14) Jayasuriya is presumably having a nice long lie down in a cryogenic chamber round the back of the changing room – Asitha Fernando is coming on to bowl. There’s a delay as the groundstaff come out and hammer the loose soil of the popping crease into more solid ground. There’s probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
Three more off the over. Said groundstaff are now getting a bit twitchy with the dark clouds rolling in…
144th over: Australia 605-5 (Carey 27, Webster 13) There are some dark clouds building up ominously behind the ground in Galle. I may have tempted fate by dismissing the weather forecasters so crudely. For that, I can only apologise.
Vandesay begins after tea, Webster and Carey are watchful, playing him off the back foot and turning the strike over to collect five runs off the over.
Here come the players post tea, how many are Australia going to rack up? There’s only one way to find out.
I predict a… century on Test debut!
Josh Inglis becomes the first Yorkshireman to score a Test hundred in the Ashes year of 2025 with a debut effort for Australia v Sri Lanka in Galle. Here he is getting a Year 8 sports award from Kaiser Chiefs as a 13-year-old in 2008, two years before emigrating. pic.twitter.com/WnlXK1SU2W
— Richard Gibson (@richardgibsonDM) January 30, 2025
This is fantastic.
143rd over: Australia 600-5 (Carey 25, Webster 10) Australia go to tea sitting pretty on a plump and juicy 600 runs. Jayasuriya sends down his 60th over and then surely departs for a well earned sandwich with a side portion of ice bath.
The visitors are ticking along at four runs an over and show no signs of pulling the plug just yet.
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142nd over: Australia 599-5 (Carey 24, Webster 10) Vandersay replaces Peiris and nearly clings on to a return catch as Carey bunts one down the ground in the air, it was juuust out of reach for the bowler in his follow through.
Vandersay, cry baby cry.
It would be remiss of me not to include a reference to The National at least once in this OBO. It can’t all be a Furtado stronghold.
The cricket and @TheNational crossover piece that *everyone* has been waiting for https://t.co/33YrSKMELV pic.twitter.com/dcwVyaloCe
— James Wallace (@Jimbo_Cricket) July 19, 2024
141th over: Australia 592-5 (Carey 21, Webster 9) Prabath Jayasuriya is into his 59th over. Sonny Ramahdin isn’t in danger just yet. Murali might be though, he holds the record for the most overs bowled in an innings by a Sri Lankan – 75 overs against India at Mohali in 1997.
140th over: Australia 589-5 (Carey 18, Webster 9) Carey and Webster rotate the strike and tick Australia on towards six hundred. I think Steve Smith is happy to let his side bat and bat and bat some more. There’s a lot of time left in this Test. There are a proposed 40 overs left in the day! 40 overs, I’ll be on my knees! You think this stuff writes itself? Don’t answer that. ChatGPT couldn’t do an OBO to save its artificial life.
Could it?
139th over: Australia 584-5 (Carey 14, Webster 8) Jayasuriya rattles through a maiden to Webster. Scoreboard pressure!
138th over: Australia 584-5 (Carey 14, Webster 8) Beau Webster pushes for a couple into the covers and his Test batting average goes to 100. Easy game eh?
137th over: Australia 579-5 (Carey 13, Webster 4) Jayasuriya wheels away, bright sunshine in Galle, one in the eye for the weather forecasters who said it was going to pelt it down this afternoon. Australia continue to pile em on, albeit with two singles nurdled off the over.
136th over: Australia 577-5 (Carey 12, Webster 3) Peiris’ gets some drift and bounce now, beating Webster’s poke forward.
135th over: Australia 574-5 (Carey 10, Webster 2) My esteemed colleague Taha Hashim has requested - nay demanded - to have the aforementioned Nelly Furtado tune posted on the OBO. This one goes out to him.
Oh, two singles off the over.
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134th over: Australia 574-5 (Carey 10, Webster 2) Jayasuriya is bowling with a spring in his step after pocketing the wickets of Inglis and Khawaja. He’s sent down 56 overs in this innings and counting. And you’re proud of the five minutes of pilates you’ve done this morning/evening?
Lovely stuff:
The raw emotions of a pair of proud parents soaking in every bit of the moment when they’re son made a century on Test debut. What a moment for Josh Inglis along with his dad Martin & mum Sarah #SLvAus pic.twitter.com/vT77pvLnQp
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 30, 2025
133rd over: Australia 572-5 (Carey 9, Webster 1) No sign of a declaration as Beau Webster strides out to replace Inglis. There are signs this pitch is starting to turn a little more sharply, as if the Aussie’s needed a further spring in their step. Peiris rags one past the edge of Carey. Off camera, Nathan Lyon is licking his lips.
WICKET! Inglis c Mendis b Jayasuriya 102 (Australia 570-5)
Inglis is gone now though. Now sooner had he replaced his helmet and re-marked his guard, Jayasuriya gets one to hold in the pitch and Inglis looks to work to leg, the leading edge loops to short extra cover. 102 off 93 balls, he can be very proud of his day’s work.
133rd over: Australia 567-4 (Carey 6, Webster 0)
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Maiden Test Century for Josh Inglis!
It’s there! Inglis punches for three and brings up a Test ton on debut! Magnificent innings and great scenes as his parents cheer him on, his mother shedding a tear as he salutes them with his bat. The Aussie team let out a huge roar and he waves at them too, a broad smile across his face. What a moment for him and his family.
Cries of Yorkshire! Yorkshire! echo around the the fort in Galle. Just kidding.
132nd over: Australia 567-4 (Inglis 101, Carey 6)
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131st over: Australia 560-4 (Inglis 96, Carey 4) Inglis rocks back and punches Jayasuriya through the covers for four to go within one shot of a century on Test debut. His mum and dad are at the ground in Galle and watching on nervously. Can their boy get there?
130th over: Australia 554-3 (Inglis 88, Carey 1) Five singles collected off the over with ease. Inglis closing in on a maiden Test century. He comes from Leeds originally so us poms can take some of the credit, right?
129th over: Australia 549-3 (Inglis 88, Carey 1) Alex Carey is the new man, fresh after being snubbed by Wisden Cricket Monthly. Arf. He gets off the mark with a single and Inglis heads towards the 90s with the same.
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WICKET! Khawaja c Mendis b Jayasuriya 232 (Australia 547-4)
Flames to dust, lovers to friends, why must all good things come to an end? Not my words, the words of Nelly Furtado. Jayasuriya angles one across Khawaja and he has a nibble at it, the thin edge is snaffled by Mendis behind the stumps and after 352 balls and over a day and a half at the crease Usman Khawaja is on his way. Fabulous knock, he’s still got some in the baggy green tank.
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Thanks Angus, top stint that. I don’t know what you were messing about at though, this pitch is obviously a snake pit… no sooner have I shifted my flanks into the OBO armchair there is a wicket! It’s the big one too – Usman Khawaja is out! Repeat out!
As drinks come onto the field – water for the Aussies, something stronger for the Sri Lankans – Henning Brammer emails to say, nay plead: “They’ll surely give Inglis the chance for a century, won’t they?” It appears so, Henning. And it could be just a few brutal swings of the bat away. He’s on 87 from 79 balls with nine fours and a six and looking good to smash a century on debut and write his name into history.
Time for some fresh blood on the blog. Thanks for your company today and cath you on the morrow. From the London end, it’s James Wallace!
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128th over: Australia 547-3 (Khawaja 232, Inglis 87) Inglis goes big and that is SIX! Vandersay skidded it in flat and fast but the debutant was fast to the pitch of the ball and got enough willow to muscle it over the rope. Vandersay, frustrated, throws in a half-tracker to close and Inglis spiflicates it for another FOUR. He’s flying!
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127th over: Australia 534-3 (Khawaja 230, Inglis 76) Jayasuriya gets taken for four singles and a deuce. He’s nagging away at a length but the angles he extracted yesterday haven’t been spotted on day two and neither batter looks troubled.
126th over: Australia 528-3 (Khawaja 226, Inglis 74) As Inglis smokes Vandersay for a FOUR to rocket into the seventies, let’s tempt fate by mentioning that Inglis is striving to be the first Australian to score a century on debut since Adam Voges in 2015.
If he makes it, the 29-year-old would be the 21st Australian to achieve the feat. Five of the past six to achieve the feat were at Windsor Park to see Voges do it a decade ago, with Shaun Marsh and Michael Clarke as Voges’ teammates, Greg Blewett as Australia’s fielding coach, and Mark Waugh as national selector.
The first to the milestone was also the hioghest score by a debutant: Charles Bannerman’s 165 retired hurt) in the very first Test ever played in 1877 against England. Bannerman opened the batting and scored 165 of Australia’s first innings245 at the MCG to spearhead a 45 run victory. He retired hurt with Australia at 7 for 240 after copping a nasty blow to his index finger. The next best score was 18.
125th over: Australia 528-3 (Khawaja 226, Inglis 70) Inglis and Khawaja stroll a couple of singles, as if bored with the tepid nature of this Sri Lanka attack. There’s more vim, vigour and venom in this Alana King over than Sri Lanka have shown all Test match.
A wicketless over - but not due to a lack of quality bowling from Alana King! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/G9WFLhXMrc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 30, 2025
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124th over: Australia 518-3 (Khawaja 224, Inglis 67) Vandersay is back in the attack. He’s been the pick of Sri Lanka’s bowlers and has the scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to his name. Just two Khawaja runs into the covers from this over.
When do Australia declare ya reckon?
123d over: Australia 513-3 (Khawaja 222, Inglis 67) Usman moves onto Richie Benaud’s favourite number with a couple of slow singles. Khawaja has been out there for 123 overs and 330 deliveries now and may start to cramp up soon. Put the pickle juice on ice, Twelfthie!
122nd over: Australia 513-3 (Khawaja 220, Inglis 66) Inglis gets onto one leg to whack Nisha Peiris into the deep for a couple. He is the third consecutive debutant to score a fifty in his debut innings after Sam Konstas in Melbourne and Beau Webster in Sydney. Who said there’s no succession plan in Australian cricket?
In the Women’s Ashes Test being played at the MCG, England have collapsed to 136-7. What about this classic catch from Phoebe Litchfield?
Litchfield latches onto a blinder 🤩@hcltech #PlayoftheDay #Ashes pic.twitter.com/69RmS139aJ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 30, 2025
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121st over: Australia 508-3 (Khawaja 218, Inglis 63) Fernando returns for an 11th over. He’s going at almost six per over and hasn’t done much to trouble the batters or stem the flow of runs. Khawaja cuts a run. Inglis, still scoring at better than a run-a-ball, gets the fielders to scatter. Short ball trap coming here. Sure enough the bouncers fly way over the top. Wasteful bowling. Can you hear the drums Fernando?
120th over: Australia 507-3 (Khawaja 217, Inglis 63) A Khawaja push brings up the century partnership between these two. But there’s a huge appeal next ball when an Inglis reverse sweep misses the ball and crashes into the back pad down low. Umpire says OUT. Inglis confidently reviews… and rightly so. UltraEdge shows a delicious flurry of static to prove he got a splinter on it. Inglis gets the reverse sweep right next ball to bank a single. Khawaja, a natural leftie, then sweeps it to the same fielder. Inglis ices the over with a bludgeoning cut shot to the boundary.
119th over: Australia 500-3 (Khawaja 215, Inglis 58) Asitha returns for a 10th over desperate to break a partnership up to 91 already. Make that 95 after Inglis hooks a bouncer to the fine leg boundary. That could be the first bouncer of the Test and, sorry Asitha, it wasn’t worth the wait for anyone but Josh Inglis. Khawaja leans on a straight ball to earn a single and bring up the 500 for Australia.
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118th over: Australia 492-3 (Khawaja 212, Inglis 53) A chance? Maybe not. Khawaja edged hard and it flew past the left hand of first slip who seemed slow to move. Ah well, at least he wasn’t nutmegged. Khawaja takes two from it, then a soothing single. Inglis continues to motor, returning the strike with a push through midwicket.
117th over: Australia 487-3 (Khawaja 209, Inglis 51) Inglis has a dash at Fernando’s first ball and cuts it to backward point for two. A crashed pull shot gets him the single he needs for a maiden Test half century. Well played Mr Inglis! That 50 came from 51 balls and featured five fours.
This is now Australia’s highest total in Sri Lanka. Their highest ever total in Asia is the 617 they scored in Faisalabad against Pakistan in March 1980.
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116th over: Australia 482-3 (Khawaja 208 Inglis 47) Nishan Peisa gets a 31st over. If you’re wondering why Sri Lanka haven’t turned to a part-timer it’s because their go-to cameo man, Angelo Mathews, has a hamstring injury that prevents him from bowling. That’s s a shame because Sri Lanka desperately need some X factor in their attack and Angelo – who has 33 wickets in is 116 Tests – might’ve provided it. Three singles from the over.
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115th over: Australia 479-3 (Khawaja 207, Inglis 45) Asitha Fernando must have made the case for pace over lunch because he’s got the first over after the break. This is just his eighth over for the Test after Travis Head hammered him into a specialist fielding role in the first hour of play yesterday. This over goes better for Asitha, just two singles and a driven two from it.
What’s a nutmeg? asks Tom Lewis via email. Even though the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper has mastered the art of nutmegging in this Test, to nutmeg is a football expression for when a ball travels between the legs (nutmeg is English rhyming slang for leg).
The Khawaja-Smith partnership was worth 266. It broke the record for the biggest third-wicket partnership for Australia in men’s Tests in Asia, which was held by Allan Border and Kim Hughes who put on 222 in 1979. The Smith and Khawaja 266 sits fifth on the list of all-time third-wicket partnerships for Australia in men’s Tests.
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Over at the Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG, England are 99-4 after Australia’s Alana King took a sharp caught and bowled to dismiss Sophia Dunkley for 21.
Partnership broken!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 30, 2025
Alana King brings out a sharp c&b to dismiss Sophia Dunkley #Ashes pic.twitter.com/LAzhuUlVXK
LUNCH: Australia 475-3 (Khawaja 204*, Inglis 44*)
That session belonged to one man: Usman Khawaja.
He has batted for 10 hours and 298 balls and now has a maiden Test double century to his name, a highest career score and the honour of being the first Australian man to hit a double-ton in Sri Lanka. After 34 innings without a century, the 38-year-old has cashed in here in Galle and may have locked himself in for another Ashes series later this year.
With Steve Smith (141) and frenetic debutant Josh Inglis (44 not out), Australia have rolled to 475 with ease. Will they bat to 600, slamming quick runs in the second session (and giving Khawaja a sniff at 300) before chasing fast wickets in the final session? Or does Smith, looking at a weather forecast predicting showers for the next three days, think 500 runs is enough?
Join us after the break to find out.
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114th over: Australia 475-3 (Khawaja 204, Inglis 44) Usman Khawaja strokes another run from Peiris as he enjoys life in the exclusive club of Australians to score a Test double century in the subcontinent. He joins Mark Taylor, Greg Chappell, Dean Jones, Matt Hayden and Jason Gillespie in that club. Incredibly though, Khawaja is the only Australian man to hit a double century in Sri Lanka. Take a bow, Ussie.
113th over: Australia 471-3 (Khawaja 203, Inglis 41) Australia have scored 140 runs from the 31 overs in this session and done it for the loss of one wicket (Steve Smith for 141). Inglis, who has 40 runs from 40 balls, tamps five before clipping a single off the hip.
112th over: Australia 470-3 (Khawaja 203, Inglis 40) Another nutmeg from the ‘keeper as Inglis’s attempted reverse sweep of Peiris catches the bottom edge, almost hits the stumps then bounces between the ankles of the gloveman and runs away for three.
111th over: Australia 465-3 (Khawaja 201, Inglis 37) Four singles from the Jayasuriya over but the most important was the first, a misfield, which allowed Usman Khawaja to scamper a single and bring up his maiden Test double century.
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Usman Khawaja scores his first Test double century! (Australia 462-3)
He’s got it! The 200th run came from a prod and a misfield but that doesn’t taint the beautiful 199 runs prior. 290 balls. 113 singles. 16 fours. And a six. Well done Usman! He raises his bat to the dressing room and sinks to his knees to kiss the turf. He was deropped from the Australian XI after being dismissed twice in the same day at this ground. But Khawaja’s comeback story is one for the ages and he now has his first double ton in Tests.
Maiden Test double-ton for Usman Khawaja 💯💯#SLvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 30, 2025
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110th over: Australia 461-3 (Khawaja 199, Inglis 35) Nishan Peiris gets a whirl before lunch. He is wicketless for 117 runs from his 27 overs so far and has barely fired a shot. Khawaja is one shot from his first Test double century and Sri Lanka are slowing things down, moving fielders hither and thither. They’ve set a trap for the reverse sweep but Khawaja drops and runs for a single. Inglis swats square and gets two, then skips out and drives a single to mid-on. Khawaja clips another run to make 199.
109th over: Australia 455-3 (Khawaja 197, Inglis 31) Khawaja’s spanked single through covers gives him a PB – his highest Test score, surpassing his 195 against South Africa. Inglis is going at a rate of knots at the other end, swiping Jayasuriya square for another FOUR.
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108th over: Australia 445-3 (Khawaja 192, Inglis 26) Vandersay enters his 28th over. He has 2-130 and has doubled his career tally of wickets already in this innings. Inglis skips out and chips a half-tracker down the ground for another FOUR.
107th over: Australia 438-3 (Khawaja 190, Inglis 21) Inglis dances down and clouts Jayasuriya for FOUR. Great shot by the debutant! And another streaky one by Khawaja as another bottom edged sweep shot misses the middle, skims the stumps and eludes wicketkeeper. Instead it runs away fine for another boundary, this time as leg byes. Khawaja reverse sweeps a single to close out the over.
Weird situation in Australian cricket today with Alyssa Healy and Josh Inglis – both specialist wicketkeepers – taking the field as specialist batters. What does it mean?
106th over: Australia 428-3 (Khawaja 189, Inglis 16) Was that a chance? Khawaja reverse swept Vandersay and bottom edged… but no, it’s another nutmeg as the ball hits glove and bounces through wicketkeeper Mendes’s legs for another four, Khawaja’s 14th.
105th over: Australia 422-3 (Khawaja 184, Inglis 15) Inglis late cuts for FOUR! That was so late it nutmegged the second slipper. Nice shot though. The rookie is rattling along at ODI pace and that shot takes him to 14 from 17. Sri Lanka are crowding him and have a back pad fielder breathing down his neck. Unperturbed, Ibnglis reverse sweeps a single. Khawaja drops and runs to retain strike.
104th over: Australia 416-3 (Khawaja 183, Inglis 10) Inglis races to double-figures with a swept full toss and a dancing drive to mid on. Khawaja gets the reverse sweep out again but Vandersay shoots it through a tad quicker and Usman can’t connect.
103rd over: Australia 414-3 (Khawaja 182, Inglis 8) Inglis almost chops on! That was good bowling by Jayasuriya. he rushed it onto the rookie and caught the bottom edge and almost hit off stumps. Inglis withdraws into his shell for the next two then steps back to late cut the fourth past slip. He gets two and adds a third with a paddle sweep to the last.
102nd over: Australia 407-3 (Khawaja 182, Inglis 5) Inglis adds a fifth run to his career tally with a little tap to point. He’s a busy player and an ardent stroke-maker. After arriving from Leeds UK as a 14-year-old, Inglis first caught the eye of selectors in the Sheffield Shield season of 2020-21 with 585 runs including three first-class hundreds for Western Australia. Impressing with the Perth Scorchers under the tutelage of Justin Langer, the 29-year-old has since played 26 ODIs and 29 T20s in the green and gold. Now he’s got his chance in the big leagues. What can he do with this massive platform laid for him?
101st over: Australia 407-3 (Khawaja 180, Inglis 4) After waiting almost 30 years to debut and waiting all day yesterday and another 90 minutes today to bat, Josh Inglis has hit his first ball in Test cricket for a boundary. Khawaja’s single gives the debutant a look at Jayasuriya. He plays in a low crouch with soft hands and a hard jaw as his chewing gum cud gets a real workout. Nerves or nonchalance? We’ll soon find out.
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WICKET! Smith lbw Vandersay 141 (Australia 401-3)
Smith is gone! Good bowling by Vandersay who sent one in straight and tricked Smith into playing for turn. It slid on, missed the outside edge and hit back pad on an off stump line. That brings debutant Josh Inglis, Australian Test cricketer No 470, to the crease at last.
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100th over: Australia 399-2 (Khawaja 177, Smith 141) Bizarre scenes! Australia’s 400 has come up via an overthrow from wicketkeeper Mendes who spotted Khawaja ambling back at the non-strikers end and had a shy only to narrowly miss the timbers. Replays show Usman would’ve been gone if it’d been a direct hit. And now we have an appeal by Jefrrey Vandersay against Smith for lbw. Umpire says Nah but Sri Lanka think Yeah and send it upstairs. This has hit Smith’s back pad dead in front… and it’s OUT!
Josh Inglis flicks his first ball in Test cricket through mid-on for FOUR!
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Over at the MCG, Australia are well placed to complete a series sweep. They have England on the rack at 63-3 with England’s captain the latest to fall to Kim Garth.
BIG wicket!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 30, 2025
Kim Garth has the England captain trapped #Ashes pic.twitter.com/hO8tx8vk7j
99th over: Australia 399-2 (Khawaja 177, Smith 141) Khawaja ambles another single and Smith spanks two more with a cover drive that is picked up cleanly just inside the rope by a tumbling Angelo Mathews. Three from the over. 69 runs from the first hour. We’ll have some drinks.
98th over: Australia 395-2 (Khawaja 176, Smith 138) Mr Vandersay becomes the third Sri lankan bowler to notch a century, with Khawaja’s clipped single bringing up three figures from his 22-odd overs. Smith adds another four with a late cut that split the field and hits the rope just right. Australia are effortlessly marching beyond 500 here.
97th over: Australia 388-2 (Khawaja 174, Smith 133) Smith’s loped two through square leg brings up the 250-run partnership from 402 balls. Mighty effort by Australia’s senior men. But Smith edges the next ball and it skips just past second slip and runs away. Close! Poor old Jayasuriya has his head in his hands. He knows how close that was. He also knows his team desperately need a wicket. Instead it runs away for another two runs.
96th over: Australia 384-2 (Khawaja 174, Smith 129) Vandersay is probing an off stump line. The late blooming finger spinner is five days shy of his 35th birthday yet this is just his second Test. Smith skips down and clips two to fine leg then taps one through covers to retain the strike.
95th over: Australia 380-2 (Khawaja 173, Smith 126) Virtuoso Khawaja! That was a glorious stroke for yet another boundary. Jayasuriya tossed it up and Usman rocked back and punched it to the offside boundary with a delicious flick of the wrists. Holds the pose as he notches the highest score by an Australian opener in Sri Lanka. Now Smith signals his intent, skipping down and clobbering Jayasuriya down the ground…. and over the fence for SIX!
94th over: Australia 368-2 (Khawaja 169, Smith 120) This is the change Sri Lanka needed: Jeffrey Vandersay has entered the attack. The 35-year-old bowled beautifully yesterday and took the scalp of Marnus Labuschagne for 20 with a beautiful jagging delivery that caught the edge and was pouched behind the stumps. He leaks a couple of singles but finds some grip and bounce into the bargain.
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93rd over: Australia 366-2 (Khawaja 168, Smith 119) Smith adds another run to his second 10,000, driving handsomely to long on. Khawaja sweeps the last ball of the over fine for two. Both these batters are clean shaven, unlike the nine-of eleven moustache-toting Australian tourists who contested the first Test against Sri Lanka back in 1983.
Travis Head did the lip-bristlers proud yesterday, as did Magnum PI Tom Selleck who turns 80 today and could’ve passed for an Ausralian fast-bowler back in the 80s with his taste in loud shirts, short shorts and flash cars.
92nd over: Australia 362-2 (Khawaja 166, Smith 117) Peirius rolls in again but he’s not getting the movement Jayasuriya is finding and it might be time to give someone else a chance with this fresh cherry. There’s another reason as Khawaja cracks another boundary through at deep midwicket. Fast feet from the old man of the Australian XI!
91st over: Australia 358-2 (Khawaja 162, Smith 117) Spin for Jayasuriya! Smith, batting in his baggy green cap, was beaten by that one. It missed the bat and ricocheted off the hector protector with a dull but painless thud. Just a single from this over.
Australia have their third wicket at the MCG with Kim Garth claiming another lbw to set England reeling at 45-3.
90th over: Australia 357-2 (Khawaja 161, Smith 117) Almost a catch! Khawaja lunged at Peiris with a reverse sweep and got a top edge and it narrowly cleared the outstretched claws of the man at third man and runs away for FOUR. Smith takes a more direct route, middling one against the turn to notch his 11th four for the innings.
89th over: Australia 348-2 (Khawaja 156, Smith 113) A couple of strolled singles for Smith and Khawaja as they unhurriedly steer Australia to a mountainous total. Sri Lanka have been tighter this morning but there’s little threat evident just yet.
In the Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG, England are fighting back after losing both openers cheaply. Here’s Darcie Brown trapping Tammy Beaumont in front.
Darcie Brown joins the party!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 30, 2025
Tammy Beaumont is trapped in front and both England openers are back in the shed #Ashes pic.twitter.com/oOWQco064N
88th over: Australia 346-2 (Khawaja 155, Smith 112) Peiris notched his own century this morning and starts his 25th over with 0-102. Still easy runs on offer here as Smith taps a run and Khawaja swipes a single in return. Peiris gets one to jag back at Smith now and there’s a yelp from the bowler as a crowd catch off the thight pad lands in the ‘keeper’s gloves. Shame that didn’t happen yesterday. Sri Lanka grassed two behind the wicket yesterday and the first catch they took didn’t count because they didn’t review it!
87th over: Australia 343-2 (Khawaja 154, Smith 110) Jayasuriya has also notched a century but it’s not one he’ll relish. He starts his 35th over with 1-106, a far cry so far from his 12-wicket haul that crushed Australia and won Sri Lanka the second Test here in Galle back in 2022. Smith gets on his toes to steer a single through cover and Jayasuriya finishes the over on a bright not by flashing one past Khawaja’s edge. Close!
86th over: Australia 342-2 (Khawaja 154, Smith 109) That’s 150 for Khawaja! It came from 223 balls, a very good clip considering Khawaja’s usually circumspect methods. He celebrates by sinking into a crouch and sweeping Peiris to the boundary. That’s Usman’s 11th four of the innings. He also wailed a six yesterday for good measure.
85th over: Australia 336-2 (Khawaja 149, Smith 108) Almost a run-out! Smith tapped Jayasuriya’s first delivery into the covers and set off but Khawaja bellowed in the negative and he had to spin and scamper to make his ground. To avoid further confusion, Smith skips down and whacks the fifth ball just shy of the rope. He gets two runs. That brings up the 200-run partnership for these two.
84th over: Australia 334-2 (Khawaja 149, Smith 106) Peiris to Khawaja as Sri Lanka opt for twin-spin to start day two. Unsurprising given medium-pacer Asitha Fernando went for near six and over yesterday, most of it from the broad blade of Travis Head. Peiris does better and delivers a maiden, his first from 23 overs.
83rd over: Australia 334-2 (Khawaja 149, Smith 106) Prabath Jayasuriya has been thrown the almost-new ball that is just 12 balls old. I doubt the left-arm spinner slept as soundly as Khawaja after dropping Steve Smith off his own bowling when the batter was on one. Exactly 105 runs later, Smith slaps a run through midwicket. Khawaja works another run off his hip. Sri Lanka bowled too full yesterday and both batters are again finding easy runs off the back foot today.
82nd over: Australia 332-2 (Khawaja 148, Smith 105) Nishan Peiris will bowl the first over of the day and it’s to Usman Khawaja who must’ve slept sweetly with 147 runs in the bank. He chips a single to cover to reopen his account and Smith does likewise.
Steve Smith has been speaking with the host broadcaster about reaching 10,000 Test runs. He became the fourth Australian to the milestone and 15th player overall. BY reaching the mark in his 205th innings, Smith became the fifth fastest player overall to reach the milestone. Only Brian Lara (195), Sachin Tendulkar (195), Kumar Sangakkara (195) and Ricky Ponting (196) did it quicker.
Yeah nice to get that out of the way, it’s been some time coming. I had my opportunity in Sydney a few weeks back and let that slip. But nice to get it out of the way first ball yesterday. I feel like I’m batting nicely at the moment. Obviously very different conditions to back home. Yesterday was kind of a hybrid wicket I think, in terms of when we came here last time. One of the Tests last time was pretty flat first innings and the broke up. The other one was pretty extreme from the outset. So yesterday it seemed like in the middle somewhere. It was a nice partnership with Uzzie. I thought he batted beautifully and I think it’s one of those wickets it’s going to be challenging to start on. But once you get the pace of the wicket, it’ll get a bit easier.
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After lighting up the cricket world with his batting pyrotechnics in the Boxing Day Test against India, plenty of cricket fans were disappointed by the omission of Sam Konstas from the Australian XI for this Test, but the 19-year-old seems to have taken the news with typical nonchalance.
A cool response from Sam Konstas to his latest Test selection news #SLvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 29, 2025
Full story: https://t.co/6F2zsgH00c pic.twitter.com/8zMIEdESut
I’ve had the Ouija board out channelling the late great Tony Greig’s Weather Wall and the good news is that it’s blue skies in Galle. The forecast for today was a bit grim, with more showers predicted, but the day has dawned bright and sunny and play will start on time, which is to say 15 minutes early, at 3.15pm.
In Galle, the next man in for Australia is new No 5 Josh Inglis who yesterday became Australian Test cricketer No 470 (despite being born in England).
From England to playing Test cricket for Australia.
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 29, 2025
This is Josh Inglis’ journey to the Baggy Green 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/9FQvwaLix3
As Australia and Sri Lanka duel for the Warne and Muralidaran Trophy, Alyssa Healy is captaining Australia against England in the sole Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG.
Play has just begun and England are in early trouble after Maia Bouchier nicked one behind for stand-in keeper Beth Mooney to take an early catch off the bowling of Kim Garth in the very first over!
Edged and gone!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 30, 2025
Wicket for Kim Garth in the first over of the Test #Ashes pic.twitter.com/g5x1s6RNzJ
Join Martin Pegan’s live coverage here…
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For those who came in late, here’s a match report of day one…
Preamble
Hello cricket fans! Welcome to the Guardian’s over-by-over coverage of day two of the first Test between Australia and Sri Lanka at Galle International Cricket Stadium.
Australia bossed the opening day and galloped to an imperious 330-2 at stumps with Usman Khawaja (147 not out) and Steve Smith (104 not out) piling on the pain for the home side with an unbeaten 195-run partnership for the third wicket.
Smith had a day to remember. Captaining the side in the absence of Pat Cummins (back home awaiting the birth of his second child), he won the toss and chose to bat first on a grassless centre square. Having made the tough call to leave Australian cricket’s shiny new toy, teen sensation Sam Konstas on the shelf, he promoted the side’s No 5 Travis Head to opener with a licence to thrill. Head did exactly that, flaying three fours from the first over as a statement of intent, before going beautifully berserk for the next hour, walloping 57 off 40 balls.
It inspired Khawaja to up the ante too. After 34 innings without a century and a lean summer against Jasprit Bumrah, the 38-year-old looked reborn yesterday. Mixing classical drives and late cuts with adventurous reverse sweeps and paddle slaps, he kept the accelerator down when Head holed out with the score on 92 and Marnus Labuschagne (20) snicked off on 135. Khawaja’s 16th Test century came from 135 balls.
For Sri Lanka, 135-2 was as good as it got. They had already inexplicably failed to review an lbw appeal against Head that replays showed was hitting the stumps, then made the same mistake when Khawaja snicked behind. Khawaja was also dropped twice behind the stumps either side of lunch. From there, it got worse – much worse.
The costliest spill was when Prabath Jayasuriya dropped Smith on his third ball at the crease. By then Smith had secured the solitary run he needed for 10,0000 Test runs. The 35-year-old joined an exclusive club with 15 members including a veritable Rushmore of Australian batters in Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. With a typically quixotic array of strokes, he surged to 50 at run-a-ball then cruised to a 35th ton.
The weather Gods spared Sri Lanka some humiliation, by sending down showers 45 minutes before stumps. It gives day two an early start of 3.15pm AEST. But even if Sri Lanka break the Smith-Khawaja partnership this morning, debutant dynamo Josh Inglis is in next with SCG hero Beau Webster and the cavalier Alex Carey waiting in the wings to pile on the pain. Can the home side hit back? Or will Australia roll on?
Join us in a hot half-hour and we’ll find out.
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