Here’s the report from day three:
We’ll be back on Day 4, of course, to bring you whatever may come. Match report on its way too. Or if you want to read Barney hopping into England’s national vibe, here’s that.
Until tomorrow.
Stumps - Sri Lanka 211 for 8, lead by 54 runs in the third innings
So an interesting day. Sri Lanka did start reasonably well, bowling Australia out without a vast amount more damage done. Jayasuriya completed an expensive five-for. But Smith and Carey had done most of the damage the day before, and conceding a deficit of 200 on the first innings is rarely overcome. Sri Lankan wickets fell regularly enough, until Mathews and Kusal looked like they might drive Sri Lanka to a lead that had a chance of being defended. But the late Mathews wicket opened the door to several more, and on day four it would need a desperate last stand from Kusal Mendis with the tail to get the lead beyond 100 and anywhere near credible.
WICKET! Jayasuriya c Smith b Kuhnemann 6 (Sri Lanka 211-8)
It takes Kuhnemann one ball. Brought back to bowl the final over, as a left-arm spinner who can turn the ball away from a right-handed tailender, and he does just that. Perfect length, turns away, high on the bat and a straightforward height on catch #199 for Steven Smith.
62nd over: Sri Lanka 211-7 (Kusal 48, Jayasuriya 6) Kusal takes one first ball from Lyon, happy to give Jayasuriya strike. Perhaps not so happy after his No9 tries a reverse sweep in the second-last over and misses. But gets off strike next ball with an off-side push. Kusal takes another run, Jayasuriya does the same to keep the strike for the final over. That kind of makes sense, if a wicket falls here it will be the end of the day, so it shields the more important batter in Kusal. Unless they keep taking ones.
61st over: Sri Lanka 207-7 (Kusal 46, Jayasuriya 4) Three runs for Jayasuriya! He has gone 0, 1, 0 before this in the series, but he’s all the way up to 4 now, driving past Webster and the bowler has to chase it back himself.
60th over: Sri Lanka 202-7 (Kusal 44, Jayasuriya 1) The tightest of calls for Lyon, who finally agrees to a review after hitting Kusal Mendis on the pad. Very close to the inside edge, which might have been in the umpire’s thinking. But there’s no contact. Very close to impact in line with the off stump, but it’s umpire’s call on impact. Would have been smashing leg stump, too.
That Law has to go, for me. Impact outside the line. Nonsense stuff left over from the 1800s. Residual redundancy. Like the human appendix. Well past time to remove it.
Jayasuriya pushes a run to cover. “Is that your first run of the series?” someone asks him. Didn’t catch the voice clearly enough.
59th over: Sri Lanka 199-7 (Kusal 42, Jayasuriya 0) Webster was nearly on a hat-trick! And it would have been a golden pair for Prabath Jayasuirya too, who pushes hard at the ball and too early, hits it in the air back near the bowler, and Webster dives across to his left but can’t get it, ending up sprawled on the grass. Actually got fully in the air there, and nearly touched it.
WICKET! Ramesh c Head b Webster 0 (Sri Lanka 199-7)
Too easy for Australia. Beau Webster comes on to bowl his very occasional off-spin, the stuff he used to bowl before a switch to seam-up got him into the Australian side. And in his very first over, he strikes. He’s tall, get the ball to drop and bounce, and Ramesh Mendis can’t provide resistance too innings running, reaching well in front of his pad and turning the ball into Head’s hands at short leg. Head mimes an off-spinning action as he celebrates, add that one to his portfolio.
58th over: Sri Lanka 198-6 (Kusal 41, Ramesh 0) So it’s double Mendis time, Kusal and Ramesh. These two did a job together in the first innings. Ramesh nearly gives up a catch to leg slip first ball, but gets away with it.
WICKET! Mathews c Webster b Lyon 76 (Sri Lanka 198-6)
Oh no. That’s the game. What has Angelo Mathews done? And why would he do it? Fewer than six overs to stumps, a lead building towards 50, a partnership of 65, and he decides that this is the time for an up-and-under sweep shot, aerial to deep backward square, where a fielder is waiting. Webster already has a reputation for catching everything, and he does the same there. Pointless shot after such an excellent innings. He must be exhausted from a long day in the heat, but surely so close to safety you just get through.
57th over: Sri Lanka 198-5 (Mathews 76, Kusal 41) Kusal Mendis isn’t going into his shell late. Sees a ball just short enough from Kuhnemann and smokes his pull shot for four. A few singles as well mean seven from the over.
56th over: Sri Lanka 191-5 (Mathews 74, Kusal 36) The Starc trial lasts for two overs, he’s not comfortable clearly. Lyon gets the ball back. Mathews has been very capable against him, pushes yet another single, this time through point. Kusal goes after a slog sweep, hard along the ground this time, finds the sweeper for one. Carey trying to gee up his team in this last few overs. Lyon gets one to jump at the glove, Mathews punches it down. Pulls out the reverse sweep for another single.
55th over: Sri Lanka 188-5 (Mathews 72, Kusal 35) Kuhnemann toiling away, into his 19th over today. Mathews jabs out the first five, then keeps strike down the ground. Eight overs to come.
54th over: Sri Lanka 187-5 (Mathews 71, Kusal 35) Starc continues. Width, square drive cracked, but to the fielder. And again, the drive to mid off this time. Mathews tips his head back in frustration. Has to settle for rushing a single to the leg side, that will test out the famous Mathews hamstrings. Sixth ball, Starc stops getting fortunate with the field placings, bowling down the leg side so that Kusal Mendis can glance four.
53rd over: Sri Lanka 182-5 (Mathews 70, Kusal 31) Another big appeal that Lyon doesn’t follow with a review, this time for caught behind. No nick from Big Ange. He does top edge a couple of sweep shots, one run apiece but dicey as they float away behind square leg. Has to get through to stumps. If these two get there, Sri Lanka are ever so slightly in the game. If even one falls, it’s pretty well done. They’re 25 ahead.
52nd over: Sri Lanka 178-5 (Mathews 68, Kusal 29) Haven’t seen Starc much today, just the couple of overs off the top, but he’s getting ready now. He has the groundsman’s hammer out, smashing away at the footholes in his delivery area to smooth out the edges. He doesn’t look happy bowling, putting a hand on his back and grimacing, but works his way into the over. By the sixth ball, Mathews is inside edging past his stumps for four.
51st over: Sri Lanka 173-5 (Mathews 64, Kusal 28) Now it’s Kusal’s turn. Slog sweep against Lyon, powers it through midwicket for four. Aims a similar shot at a wider ball but doesn’t get much on it, into the ground. Does get his third sweep, this time behind square along the ground to the deep sweeper. Sri Lanka up by 16.
50th over: Sri Lanka 168-5 (Mathews 64, Kusal 23) Drinks are done, but the boundaries keep coming! Mathews has not nailed the cut shot at all today, but finally gets every piece of one, giving himself room against Kuhnemann to smack four.
49th over: Sri Lanka 164-5 (Mathews 60, Kusal 23) Fifteen overs left in the day. And Kusal Mendis goes past a hundred runs in the match with a six! Slog sweeps Lyon high over the leg side, not his cleanest hit as it goes up high and hangs, but it drops onto the hill at deep midwicket. Next ball, Kusal goes back and pulls hard, picking up two and sending Sri Lanka into the lead. That lead goes up to five, as a missed sweep eludes Carey and away to fine leg for four. Given as runs? Tiny bottom edge on that? The ball missed off stump. A couple more singles, remarkably 14 from the over, and Sri Lanka to the good by seven runs.
48th over: Sri Lanka 150-5 (Mathews 59, Kusal 10) This is odd. Second slip is fielding on all fours at the moment. What’s that position called? Bad dog? Pony ride? As Kuhnemann arrives to bowl, the slipper brings his hands up off the turf ready for a catch. Bizarre, obviously trying to account for edges carrying very low. But it means there’s no mobility to go to either side. Singles keep coming, the deficit drops to seven.
47th over: Sri Lanka 147-5 (Mathews 58, Kusal 8) No run from Lyon’s over, Mathews a rare set where he couldn’t find a run. Mad stat that I half heard on commentary and had to go and check for myself: this is Mathews’ 33rd Test at Galle out of 118 in his career. He has over a quarter of his career runs at this ground.
46th over: Sri Lanka 147-5 (Mathews 58, Kusal 8) Smith ringing the changes in the field as Kuhnemann waits to bowl. Not short but Kusal backs away looking to cut, finds cover. Does the same with a square punch next ball, finds point. Then gets four with the false shot, propped on the front shoe, defensive lunge, and the outside edge beats the second slip, Webster covering serious ground next to Smith but it even gets square of him. Ten runs behind.
45th over: Sri Lanka 143-5 (Mathews 58, Kusal 4) Lyon to continue, and the Sri Lankans do as Mathews has done all day: step to off, knock the off spinner to leg. Past the short leg catcher, singles where available. “Oh, Marnie!” yelps someone as a ball bounces by Labuschagne under the lid. But four singles from the over, it’s working for Sri Lanka right this minute. They’re 14 down.
44th over: Sri Lanka 139-5 (Mathews 56, Kusal 2) Solid connection on the sweep from Kusal, though he only gets one, and the Australian fielders liked him playing the shot. Hunting for an error. Mathews takes Kuhnemann off leg stump for one. They’re 18 short of parity.
43rd over: Sri Lanka 137-5 (Mathews 55, Kusal 1) Mathews stepping across to off, gets the ball on leg stump, misses his flick, cramped for room getting around the front pad. That is a brilliant call from Joel Wilson, not out with the ball pitching outside leg by about three millimetres, and very good from Lyon to defuse the chat of a review as well. Mathews keeps finding his singles to square leg, Kusal Mendis gets going with a run down the ground.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 135-5 (Mathews 54, Kusal 0) Dragged short from Kuhnemann and Mathews fails to put it away, finding the point fielder set halfway back.
41st over: Sri Lanka 134-5 (Mathews 53, Kusal 0) Five penalty runs! Handy for Sri Lanka. The ball goes down the leg side, off Mathews’ pad, through Carey, and spins back with the bounce onto the spare fielding helmet behind the keeper. Carey groans. It actually hits the helmet twice, landing on it after bouncing. “Is that ten runs?” we hear through the stump mic. It is not. Throw in a single and the deficit is 23.
40th over: Sri Lanka 128-5 (Mathews 52, Kusal 0) That gets Smith to 198 catches in Tests, nearly at both 200 and Jacques Kallis. Only Jayawardene, Root, and Dravid have more. Kusal Mendis, who batted ok in the first innings, to the middle.
WICKET! Dhananjaya da Silva c Smith b Kuhnemann 23 (Sri Lanka 128-5)
Another blinder for the Steve Smith showreel! They check the replay but no doubt about that. First Mathews gets off strike, nudging Kuhnemann square, Carey has to run after the ball himself. But that opens up Dhananjaya to prod at the bowler, outside edge that is spinning down towards the turf. Smith throws his weight to his left, falling to the ground, and scoops it up a couple of centimetres from the ground, bringing his hand sharply up to make sure there’s no conjecture about contact between ball and dirt. I don’t think his hand even brushed the ground there, let alone the ball.
39th over: Sri Lanka 127-4 (Mathews 51, Dhananjaya 23) Alex Carey has dull chat, I’m going to call it. “Five, six, five, six. Come on there lads.” Dhananjaya has been happy to play Lyon towards cover often today, gets another run here. Mathews has gone for the sweep a lot, adds another run so doing. They’re only 30 behind now. Knock those off, dream of a lead?
Half century! Angelo Mathews 50 from 76 balls
38th over: Sri Lanka 125-4 (Mathews 50, Dhananjaya 22) Gets there with a six! Big Ange hasn’t lashed out much in this knock, but decides to raise his milestone down the ground despite a fielder back. Interesting choice but it works this time. gets plenty of Kuhnemann, who also oversteps later in the over to give away an extra.
37th over: Sri Lanka 118-4 (Mathews 44, Dhananjaya 22) The deficit is down to 44 runs. Tick that down to 39, as Mathews cuts Connolly for one, then Dhananjaya cuts finer, later, for another boundary. Connolly giving a few of those away.
36th over: Sri Lanka 113-4 (Mathews 43, Dhananjaya 18) The Mathews singles keep coming, a reverse again. Lyon strikes Dhananjaya just outside the line of off stump, not out, not reviewed. But overpitches next ball, and a stylish cover drive, no follow through, holds the bat in the checked pose does the Sri Lankan skipper as his front knee rests on the turf. Four. And another boundary to follow as he sweeps off the middle stump, far more peril in that shot, just a little bottom edge or glove on it to send that ball fine.
35th over: Sri Lanka 104-4 (Mathews 42, Dhananjaya 10) Well, well, well. Cooper Connolly gets a bowl. Left-arm orthodox, nice enough action, not doing a great deal yet. Strays down leg to get picked off for two, drops short to get cut for one. Four off his first over.
34th over: Sri Lanka 100-4 (Mathews 39, Dhananjaya 9) Back after the break, Lyon bowling and Mathews nicks a straight skidder onto his pad over slip. So says the umpire, no signal as they run one. The replay though shows that there was no edge. Dhananjaya drives a run down the ground to raise the Sri Lankan hundred.
Guy Hornsby on the email line laments seeing a bright talent start to battle. “It’s been a tough start to 2025 for Kamindu Media, Geoff. He was the rising star last year, and I loved seeing him bat in England but he’s really dipped. I hope it’s temporary because with Karunaratne’s retirement, Sri Lanka need batters. If these two don’t get closer to parity it’ll be over very quickly, I’m sad to say. Australia are giving so little away.”
Tea - Sri Lanka 98 for 4, trailing by 59 runs in the third innings
Busy session for Australia, 33 overs bowled in it, when usually in home conditions they’re managing about 25 overs. Conceded 98 runs, which is a decent scoring lick, but they’ve taken four wickets along the way and still have a first-innings lead.
Starc only bowled two overs. Kuhnemann kept one low to bowl Nissanka. Lyon got a little inside edge from Karunaratne, then Chandimal and Kamindu were both out to lofted drives.
33rd over: Sri Lanka 98-4 (Mathews 38, Dhananjaya 8) Last over before tea. Head bowling it. Mathews hopping on the front foot to deadbat the ball. Then launches into a powerful sweep, along the ground to the deep sweeper for a run. That lets Dhananjaya double his own score again! Fully pitched, driven through mid off, there’s a gap there with a wide-set fielder, and with a slightly angled bat, Dhananjaya smacks four.
32nd over: Sri Lanka 93-4 (Mathews 37, Dhananjaya 4) Another one-run over from Kuhnemann, doing as he did in the first innings and going at a run rate of two through the innings.
31st over: Sri Lanka 92-4 (Mathews 36, Dhananjaya 4) Head continues, the batting pair knocking runs to leg, then Dhananjaya using width to drive through covers for two. Aims to replicate that shot, hitting it even harder, but that’s all toe and into the ground.
30th over: Sri Lanka 89-4 (Mathews 35, Dhananjaya 2) It was indeed a switch of ends for Kuhnemann, while also giving Lyon a breather. The left-armer goes around the wicket to Dhananjaya, two right-handers on strike. No run.
29th over: Sri Lanka 89-4 (Mathews 35, Dhananjaya 2) More shuffling. Kuhnemann replaced Head for one over, now they’ve gone back again. Does Smith want Kuhnemann from Lyon’s end? Still no Connolly. Mathews drives through cover, a full ball, two runs. Then a poor ball, slow and very wide, almost off the pitch. Mathews drives again, should get a third run but Dhananjaya says no. Clearly three there, that’s lazy, turning down runs is not a mindset they can afford. Mathews says, “You want to dodge strike? Not likely.” Finds a single next ball to turn it over. Dhananjaya scores his second run into the off side. Deficit down to 68.
28th over: Sri Lanka 83-4 (Mathews 30, Dhananjaya 1) Lyon zeroing in on Mathews’ leg stump from around the wicket, trying to coax him to punch one to short leg, or round the corner to leg slip. Mathews is playing them well, getting gloves over the ball and knocking it straight to ground. Then Lyon skids one across the stumps and Mathews shapes to reverse, misses as the ball skids through. Gets a run to square leg to follow, even under siege he’s still scoring.
27th over: Sri Lanka 82-4 (Mathews 29, Dhananjaya 1) Sri Lanka have closed the gap to 75 runs, but lost Kamindu on the way. Kuhnemann takes over from Head with the ball. Dhananjaya blocks him out.
26th over: Sri Lanka 82-4 (Mathews 29, Dhananjaya 1) The Sri Lankan skipper on a king pair – made a golden duck in the first innings. Survives the golden here with one that threatens the outside edge, then gets off the broader pair when he takes a run into the leg side.
WICKET! Kamindu c Khawaja b Lyon 14 (Sri Lanka 81-4)
That’s soft. A lapse in concentration, and other cheap dismissal for Kamindu now that his golden streak has ended. Lyon gives it flight outside the off stump, Kamindu aims a big lofted drive. Why? What’s the value of striking it in the air? He doesn’t hit it wide enough, and Khawaja at mid off is able to step across and take a forward-pocket mark overhead. Double baggy greens on Usman, double the catching power. Poor dismissal.
Test wicket 551 for Lyon, no doubt he’s been dreaming of that too.
25th over: Sri Lanka 78-3 (Mathews 27, Kamindu 13) Oh, that’s a drop. Another tough one for Carey, straight in and out. Straight off the glove as Kamindu reverses, and such a short distance into the keeper’s gloves. Too quick and it bounces down.
24th over: Sri Lanka 77-3 (Mathews 26, Kamindu 13) Loud appeal from Lyon, hitting Mathews’ pad from around the wicket, but it’s turning too much, missing leg stump. They don’t review. Mathews turns over strike, Kamindu forces through cover and looks like he’ll get four, but Connolly is pretty fresh after after bowling 18 balls and facing 6 in the match, so he charges after it and dives to haul back one run. Good intensity.
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23rd over: Sri Lanka 72-3 (Mathews 24, Kamindu 10) Living dangerously, Kamindu goes the reverse against Head, who is doing heaps with the ball. Hits it for four, then cuts a run. Mathews gets beaten again then drives one into the covers. Any ball feels like a wicket chance at the moment. Sri Lanka 85 runs behind.
22nd over: Sri Lanka 65-3 (Mathews 22, Kamindu 5) Mathews playing well here by keeping the scoring going. Whips a couple of runs through leg from Lyon, then nudges another. Kamindu uses his feet, driving hard wide of mid off, who half stops the ball. Only one run. Sri Lanka move to 91 runs behind, as Mathews is surprised by a ball from around the wicket that skids across him, taking an outside edge thick enough to end up in the covers.
21st over: Sri Lanka 60-3 (Mathews 18, Kamindu 4) A Mathews reverse sweep for one run to start the over. Travis Head continues. Cooper Connolly bowled three overs to Head’s eight in the first innings, and now the notionally specialist No8 hasn’t bowled in the second while the part-time Head is called upon. Whatever upbeat things Steve Smith said about his XI before the game, his bowling choices prove that he also thinks this was a nonsense selection.
Head often does threaten with the ball, of course, and does so again here, including a review for lbw against Kamindu. But Joel Wilson calls that right, from around the wicket – it floats across the line it pitches just outside leg stump before turning back to hit in line. The next ball shreds past the edge.
20th over: Sri Lanka 59-3 (Mathews 17, Kamindu 4) Mathews adds another single first ball of Lyon’s over, giving the bowler five balls to tease away at the left-hander. Kamindu is trying to be circumspect but there’s a degree of peril evident when teases at him. Leading edges, propping forward, that kind of thing.
19th over: Sri Lanka 58-3 (Mathews 16, Kamindu 4) Whoosh! Travis Head gets one to turn as Big Ange walks across his stumps, the off-break going between the batter’s legs and just past off stump. Keeper unsighted, four byes, then Carey follows up missing a stumping as Ange wanders again outside off. The ball bounces crazily out off the rough, wide of the stumps, and Carey has kept really well and made 150 but can’t grab that one.
18th over: Sri Lanka 53-3 (Mathews 15, Kamindu 4) “A very special moment for Nathan Lyon,” says the commentary. “550 Test wickets.”
Is it? Do kids lie in bed at night dreaming, dreaming of the day they’ll take wicket #550?
He nearly makes it 551, would have with an affirmative umpiring call, as the ball angles in at the left-hander’s stumps from around the wicket. Hits in line. The trajectory heading towards leg enough to make it umpire’s call on leg stump, but the Aussies have instigated the review, not SL. So no dismissal.
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Thanks Jim. Not long to go for Sri Lanka now, unless they can unearth some resistance. The wunderkind and the old stager at the crease. Shall we dance at the fort?
17th over: Sri Lanka 51-3 (Mathews 14, Kamindu 3) Drinks come onto the field after a couple of singles are worked off Matt Kuhnemann. That is my stint done, I’m down to do days four and five too but I really don’t think we’ll get there. Here’s Geoff Lemon to call a flurry of Australian wickets in his uniquely poetic way. Byeee!
16th over: Sri Lanka 49-3 (Mathews 13, Kamindu 2) Lyon now looks like he could snare a wicket with every ball, he squares up Mathews with one that goes straight on and then sends down a more flighted delivery that drifts and dips late.
15th over: Sri Lanka 47-3 (Mathews 12, Kamindu 1) It looks like Mathews is going to counterattack rather than prod and poke. A square drive brings him three and he follows that up with a smear down the ground, it ain’t pretty but it is effective.
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14th over: Sri Lanka 39-3 (Mathews 5, Kamindu 0) Kamindu Mendis arrives in the middle. An inside edge onto pad saves him from perishing first ball! Huge appeal from behind the stumps but Lyon spotted the deflection.
WICKET! Chandimal c Webster b Lyon 12 (Sri Lanka 39-3)
BIG WICKET! Chandimal is gone and so might the match be now for Sri Lanka. The batter used his feet and hit a powerfully struck drive but it was in the air and plucked by the bucket hands of Beau Webster at mid-off. That’s 550 Test wickets for Nathan Lyon too. He’ll have his eyes on a few more this afternoon.
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13th over: Sri Lanka 37-2 (Chandimal 11, Mathews 4) Angelo Mathews is the new man, he flicks over midwicket for four but did not look anywhere near in control. This match might just be beginning a harum-scarum descent to the finish line.
WICKET! Karunaratne c Carey b Kuhnemann 14 (Sri Lanka 33-2)
That’s the end of Dimuth Karunaratne’s Test career! His final dismissal is brought about by Matt Kuhnemann who tosses it up and invites the drive. Karunaratne plays in front of his pad and a tiny nick shows up on UltraEdge. The Aussie’s all give him a good hand and Chandimal embraces him before he leaves the middle for the final time in Test cricket. He raises his helmet and waves his bat as everyone in the Galle stadium show their appreciation to a batter who has chalked up 7172 runs, 16 hundreds, 39 fifties and a whole heap of memories. Well played!
12th over: Sri Lanka 33-1 (Karunaratne 14, Chandimal 11) Karunaratne gets an inside edge off Lyon but it flies safe of Marnus at short leg and they scamper a single. Lyon settling into his groove, looking more and more dangerous.
11th over: Sri Lanka 32-1 (Karunaratne 13, Chandimal 11) Consecutive maidens for Kuhnemann, he’s getting more bounce than Lyon at the moment.
10th over: Sri Lanka 32-1 (Karunaratne 13, Chandimal 11) Karunaratne taps a single into the off side and Chandimal sweeps for another. Cat and mouse stuff between both spinners and batters.
9th over: Sri Lanka 30-1 (Karunaratne 12, Chandimal 10) A change of ends for Kuhnemann, he’s arrowing in on the pads. Chandimal is watchful, onto the front foot and defending stoically to make it a maiden.
8th over: Sri Lanka 30-1 (Karunaratne 12, Chandimal 10) Lyon skips in, flannel in his trews, zinc on his chops. Two singles punched off the over. Sri Lanka trail by 127 runs.
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7th over: Sri Lanka 28-1 (Karunaratne 11, Chandimal 9) Head is too full and Chandimal breaks the wrists and drives down the ground for four. Here comes Nathan Lyon.
6th over: Sri Lanka 21-1 (Karunaratne 9, Chandimal 4) Kuhnemann rattles off a quick over, just a Karunaratne single off it. Sri Lanka chipping away, they need to build a heft partnership and keep wickets in hand, they’ll likely fall in clumps as has been the pattern in this match.
5th over: Sri Lanka 20-1 (Karunaratne 8, Chandimal 4) Travis Head on for an early trundle. Shades on, walrus tache meaty and resplendent. No great turn on show, two singles worked off the over.
4th over: Sri Lanka 18-1 (Karunaratne 3, Chandimal 7) Shot! Karunaratne flicks through midwicket for four off Kuhnemann. Don’t go Dimuth! He blocks out the rest of the over with a straight bat and watchful eye.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 13-1 (Karunaratne 3, Chandimal 2) Starc sends down a short and wide ball that is clattered on the cut by Karunaratne but there’s a sweeper on the fence to keep it to a single. Chandimal gets off the mark with a compact push into the covers.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 9-1 (Karunaratne 1, Chandimal 0) Chandimal joins his old mucker in the middle with significant job to do. Kuhnemann looks dangerous with this new ball, skidding it on and varying his pace nicely.
Crikes. Chandimal leaves a ball that passes this close to the off stump. You know what they say about leaves…
WICKET! Nissanka b Kuhnemann 8 (Sri Lanka 9-1)
Nissanka flatters to deceive, he gets beaten all ends up by a straight ball from Kuhnemann that skids on and rattles his timbers. Sri Lanka did not need that.
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Matt Kuhnemann shares the new ball. Slip and a short leg in place to Karunaratne in his final Test innings. The batter rocks back and clips into the leg side for a single to get off the mark.
1st over: Sri Lanka 8-0 (Nissanka 8, Karunaratne 0) Absolutely sublime batting from Nissanka! He nails a full ball from Starc down the ground for four and the follows up with languid flow of the blade to thread a cover drive to the boundary for four more. The two shots of the day so far by some stretch.
The players emerge after lunch. Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne take guard for Sri Lanka. Mitchell Starc is going to have a quick burst with the new ball. Can the home side bat and bat and bat and turn this into a real contest? Let’s find out.
Drink it in. We might not be back tomorrow.
Morning three. #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/cAwtq5OQtV
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) February 8, 2025
We’ve gone to lunch and breakfast in Galle and London respectively.
Here’s an informative read by Ali Martin on the English cricket landscape after a week of private money gushing forth. Includes some top quality (quilty) bog roll gags.
Australia all out for 414 (lead by 157 runs)
Ramesh Mendis bowls Matt Kuhnemann and that is that for Australia’s first innings. I suspected we might see a clatter of wickets once the mammoth partnership between Carey and Smith was broken and so it proved, there’s plenty of life in the surface and Australia lose seven wickets in the session. They have a hefty first innings lead to play with and will get to work on Sri Lanka’s batting card after the lunch break.
106th over: Australia 413-9 (Lyon 1, Kuhnemann 6) Lyon gets off the mark with a prod to mid on and Kuhnemann bunts down the ground for a couple more.
105th over: Australia 410-9 (Lyon 0, Kuhnemann 4) Matthew Kuhnemann is the last man for Australia. He edges his first ball wide of slip and away for four!
WICKET! Webster b Ramesh Mendis 31 (Australia 406-9)
Ramesh Mendis rips a huge off-break through Beau Webster’s forward defence and the bails go skywards. Delicious ball with plenty of assistance off the surface, good and bad news for Sri Lanka who are 150 runs adrift. One more needed and they can get on with the task in hand.
104th over: Australia 406-7 (Webster 31, Lyon 0) Nathan Lyon is the new batter. But never mind that…
WICKET! Starc b Jayasuriya 8 (Australia 406-8)
Bowled him! Starc misses a sweep and Jayasuriya has another five wicket haul. Two more wickets for Sri Lanka to take, the lead is at 149 for Australia.
103rd over: Australia 406-7 (Webster 31, Starc 8) Three singles off Ramesh Mendis, twenty minutes to go until lunch, the home side need to rattle through Australia here to keep within some sort of touching distance in this match.
102nd over: Australia 403-7 (Webster 30, Starc 6) The Aussies breach 400 with a sweep behind square for four by Webster. Jayasuriya isn’t having a breather, it’s a change of ends for him rather than a graze in the outfield. The lead is up to 147 runs.
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101st over: Australia 399-7 (Webster 26, Starc 6) Mendis nearly pulls off a stunner of a return catch off Starc but the ball hits his finger ends and doesn’t stick as he dives to his right at full stretch. He gets some big bounce off a length with plenty of overspin, Webster is beaten on the back foot. In fact, snicko shows there was a tickle on it from Webster but the keeper failed to take it cleanly. Tough chance but gone begging.
100th over: Australia 396-7 (Webster 24, Starc 5) Nishan Peiris stitches together his fourth maiden of the innings. Jayasuriya is given a breather, Ramesh Mendis is coming on for a twirl.
99th over: Australia 396-7 (Webster 24, Starc 5) Jayasuriya into his 35th over and in search of his fifth wicket. Five runs conceded off the over as Star and Webster rotate strike nicely. Every run a wound for Sri Lanka now.
98th over: Australia 389-7 (Webster 22, Starc 2) Webster goes down to sweep but misses and gets clonked on the lid. He’s fine but there’s the statutory concussion check. Two singles off the over stretch Australia’s lead to 132 runs. It’s now or never for Sri Lanka to rattle through these final wickets and get out there batting.
97th over: Australia 387-7 (Webster 21, Starc 1) Jayasuriya thinks he has Webster pinned LBW, he runs off in celebration without even turning to the umpire. I think there’s a word for that… Umpire Wilson duly raises the finger but Webster reviews wisely, the ball was missing leg stump.
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96th over: Australia 384-6 (Webster 19, Starc 0) A wicket maiden for Nishan Peiris and he could have had two more in the over! Starc is dropped off his first ball by Nissanka at short leg – a flick went straight to the hands and the fielder snatched at the catch. Next ball the bowler rags one past the edge and it bounces just over the bails.
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WICKET! Connolly c Ramesh Mendis b Peiris 4 (Australia 384-7)
GONE! A short and not particularly sweet stay at the crease for Connolly. He skews an attempted lofted drive to cover.
95th over: Australia 384-6 (Webster 19, Connolly 4) Jayasuriya whirls away with slip, leg slip and short leg around the bat. Connolly plays a sweep off his legs and gets a top edge for his first runs in Test cricket. The ball bounces once and plops over the rope for four.
94th over: Australia 378-6 (Webster 18, Connolly 0) Webster gets a top edge off a sweep and it flies safe over the keeper and away for four. A single brings the debutant on strike. Beaten! A decent ball to get first up, pitches on a length and spins past the edge. Welcome to Test cricket, son.
93rd over: Australia 373-6 (Webster 12, Connolly 0) Cooper Connolly arrives at the crease on his Test dayboo. I think his batting might actually be his strongest suit at the moment. Let’s see what he’s made of – Australia’s lead stands at 116. Realistically Sri Lanka need to take these wickets for 20-30 runs max, if they then bat for a day or so and manage to set Australia a tricksy total of 150ish on a day four and five wicket then you never know. It’s a long shot, they’ll need one or two of their batters to go big like Smith and Carey.
WICKET! Carey b Jayasuriya 156 (Australia 373-6)
Webster uses his long levers to drive into the off side, a good diving stop from the man at cover keeps it to one. Carey then trots out of his crease and marmalises a ball through mid-off for four. GONE! The sweep fails for the first time, Carey tries to sweep a ball that is too full and it cleans him up. Jayasuriya gets his third of the morning! A fine knock from Alex Carey comes to an end, 156 runs off 188 balls in tricky conditions.
92nd over: Australia 368-5 (Carey 152, Webster 12) Shot! Webster drops to his haunches and unfurls a powerful reverse-sweep past point for four. A conventional sweep brings him two more.
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91st over: Australia 360-5 (Carey 151, Webster 5) Jayasuriya in his groove this morning, those two wickets have given him a spring in his step. Peels off a maiden.
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90th over: Australia 360-5 (Carey 151, Webster 5) Webster is happy to sweep off his stumps, if he misses he is a goner. Nishan nearly draws him out of his crease for a stumping opportunity but the big man just about manages to keep his back foot grounded.
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89th over: Australia 358-5 (Carey 150, Webster 4) Jayasuriya stitches together a probing maiden to Webster.
4⃣ centuries in his last 8⃣ Test innings.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) February 8, 2025
Steve Smith has been brilliant for Australia since rediscovering his form in the last Test series against India.#SteveSmith #SLvsAUS #cricket pic.twitter.com/niAGdck6O6
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88th over: Australia 358-5 (Carey 150, Webster 4) Sharp turn from Nishan Peiris, lands on one middle and leg and it rips past the off stump. Unplayable, even for a bloke on 150.
87th over: Australia 357-5 (Carey 150, Webster 3) Alex Carey goes to 150 with a sweep for two. Sri Lanka need to prise him out sharpish to give themselves a sniff. They have to make this spinning new ball count.
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86th over: Australia 352-5 (Carey 148, Webster 2) Peiris rattles through a tidy over, just a single to Webster off it. Australia’s lead is up to 95 runs.
85th over: Australia 351-5 (Carey 148, Webster 1) Beau Webster is the new man and he gets off the mark first ball with a slightly spawny looking inside edge into the leg side. Brilliant over from Jayasuriya.
WICKET! Inglis b Jayasuriya 0 (Australia 350-5)
Jayasuriya has two in the over! Inglis survives a huge lbw shout first ball but perishes for a duck off his second ball! Playing back to a ball that skids on, the off stump knocked back. Sri Lanka back in it!
WICKET! Smith c Kusal Mendis b Jayasuriya (Australia 350-4)
Gone! Steve Smith’s fantastic innings comes to an end and it takes a lovely ball to get rid of him. Pitching on off stump and drawing him into a defensive stroke, the ball gripped enough to take the edge and Kusal takes a nice catch up to the stumps. Smith nods his approval but still has to drag himself from the middle.
84th over: Australia 345-3 (Smith 131, Carey 143) Australia work the singles and hit the gaps for twos. Smith paddles and flicks and the lead approaches 100.
83rd over: Australia 341-3 (Smith 128, Carey 142) Smith drives for a couple through the covers to bring up the 250 partnership between this pair. Sri Lanka need to break this partnership and rattle through the rest if they are to keep themselves in this game.
82nd over: Australia 335-3 (Smith 124, Carey 140) Nishan Peiris shares the new ball. He’s on the money first up, four dots to Carey before the batter leans on a fuller one and picks up the only single off the over.
81st over: Australia 334-3 (Smith 124, Carey 139) Sharp spin with the new nut from the off. Jayasuriya draws Smith forward and beats him with one that turns past the edge. A few more dots are followed by a bit of a wild stroke from Smith, he loses his shape as he looks to whip through the leg side, the ball skewing off the inside edge and away for four.
Righto, the players are out there. Prabath Jayasuriya is going to start proceedings with the second new ball fresh in his mitts. Play!
The sun is beaming down in Galle, the tv footage cuts to a drone hovering along a beautiful coastline complete with shimmering sea and lightly puttering flags on top of the fort. Wish you were here? Yeh probably, although I’ve got clanking radiators and a light trickle of condensation inside my windows, so you know, feeling blessed too.
Dedication’s what you need…
Here’s Alex Carey, after having batted for most of yesterday & still unbeaten on 139, the first man out as always to go through his 40-minute wicket-keeping drills. Speak of discipline & dedication #SLvAus pic.twitter.com/oo79dB8Ja2
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) February 8, 2025
We’re about ten minutes away from the start of play on day three, just enough time to catch up on yesterday’s action:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to day three of the second Test from Galle. ‘Moving Day’ is what they often call the third day’s play of a Test match and we might well see plenty of moving and shaking over the coming hours.
Australia are firmly in command in the match and series – sublime centuries from Steve Smith and Alex Carey on day two saw the visitors finish with a lead of 73 runs with seven wickets still in hand.
Coming together at 91 for 3, Smith and Carey put on a masterclass of batting in sub-continent conditions, using every ounce of patience, skill and stamina to rack up 239 runs and counting. Movement you say? What movement? Well, if a breakthrough does come then there’s still plenty in this pitch to give the spinners hope, it’s also a tough one to get started on. I have a sneaking feeling the game could go into hyperdrive if the wickets start to tumble.
Play begins at 10am local time, 3.30pm AEDT and an eye-bag cultivating 4.30am here in the UK. Join us!
