Sports

Australia fear rank turner for second Test

Published

11 months ago

2025/02/6

Sahan Weerasooriya

Ramesh Mendis

Rex Clementine in Galle

Having taken an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, Australia fear they might be walking into a spin trap for the second Test, which gets underway in Galle today.

Australia blew Sri Lanka out of the water in the opening contest, winning by an innings and 242 runs – the heaviest defeat Sri Lanka has suffered in Test cricket. That game, also played in Galle, was on a good batting deck, but the pitch for the second Test looks a different beast altogether.

“This looks like a very dry surface. Dare say it’s going to turn square,” Australia skipper Steve Smith said at the pre-match media briefing.

“We’re not naming a team just yet. We’ll take a call in the morning, once we have a better read on the conditions,” he added.

With the Warne-Murali Trophy already in the bag and a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final secured, Australia could have been forgiven for taking their foot off the gas. But Smith has no intention of taking the foot off the pedal and wants a 2-0 sweep.

“It would be brilliant for this group if we can finish 2-0. I thought we played really well last week, controlling the game from the outset. We didn’t do that last time we were here, so it would be a great achievement to win 2-0,” Smith added.

Australia have sent young opening batsman Sam Konstas back home to play Sheffield Shield cricket, reinforcing their focus on preparing for the long haul.

Sri Lanka, licking their wounds after the crushing defeat, are expected to shuffle the pack for the second Test. Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka is set to return, having recovered from a groin injury, and will replace Oshada Fernando. Meanwhile, off-spinner Ramesh Mendis is likely to come back into the XI in place of Jeffrey Vandersay. Lahiu Kumara will replace Asitha Fernando.

“Pathum has been declared fit and he will play. But we haven’t finalized our bowling combination yet,” Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva revealed.

Reflecting on the opening Test, de Silva admitted that Sri Lanka let themselves down with the bat.

“It wasn’t the typical Galle wicket last time around. It was a disappointing Test match because we should have batted much better than that. Too many guys got starts but failed to kick on. We know where things went wrong, and we’re looking to correct those mistakes,” de Silva added.

Australia (Probable XI)

Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (Captain), Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (Wicketkeeper), Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy.

Sri Lanka (Probable XI)

Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain), Kusal Mendis (Wicketkeeper), Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Nishan Peiris and Lahiru Kumara.

Umpires:

Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Joel Wilson (WI)

Third Umpire:

Adrian Holdstock (RSA)

Match Referee:

Jeff Crowe (NZL)

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Latest News

SCG curator ‘really happy’ with pitch for final Ashes Test

Published

11 hours ago

2026/01/2

Priyan

The pitch at the SCG has been the centre of much attention [Cricinfo]

Todd Murphy is firming to play his first home Test, after the SCG’s head curator declared the pitch’s green covering would be near-irrelevant come day one.

With administrators still on edge after last week’s two day debacle in Melbourne, an extremely green SCG surface raised eyebrows in Sydney on Thursday.

But chief curator Adam Lewis insisted on Friday that should not be a concern, and he was hopeful Sydney would extend into a fifth day.

“You want to see green tinge three days out,” Lewis said. “If you’re not seeing any live grass three days out, then that’s when it’s a worry, … I’m really comfortable with where we’re sitting.

“We had a little bit of sun this morning. They’re saying a bit more sun tomorrow. That will take the greenness out of the pitch. We’re really happy with the pitches at the moment. We’re looking good.”

Lewis admitted he felt for MCG counterpart Matt Page last week, but said he felt no external pressure to ensure the fifth Test in Sydney went the distance.

It’s estimated that Cricket Australia (CA) has lost in the vicinity of AUD15 million in profits this summer, with the opening Test in Perth also finishing inside two days.

Even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joked at a function with teams on Thursday night that they had to ensure the game went to day three, in order to support the McGrath Foundation fundraiser.

One of the hardest grounds in the world to bowl on between 2014 and 2023, last year’s SCG Test was over in just two-and-a-half days.

Lewis said that his ground staff would go with 6mm of grass this year compared to 7mm last season, while also reducing its density. That in itself generally acts to flatten out the wicket and produce less movement, while also inviting the chance of spin late in the match.

“We just thought … we could thin our density out a little bit,” Lewis said. “That’s what we’ve done this year. We’ve practised that in the Shield matches and we’ve received very good marks.”

CA CEO Todd Greenberg said he too was confident the SCG Test would last the distance.

“I’ve had more phone calls and conversations about wickets and millimetres of grass than I thought I’d ever have,” Greenberg said. “But I’m hopeful and confident we will have a long and productive Test match here.”

All of which should spell good news for Murphy. Australia’s coaching staff had a prolonged conversation around the pitch on Friday morning, after leaving Murphy out and going with four quicks at the MCG.

Murphy then spent most of Friday’s training session bowling to Australia’s top order, while Alex Carey also had an extended run keeping to him.

With seven Tests to his name overseas, Murphy would be expected to come in for Jhye Richardson if he does play in Sydney.

England have promised to take the attack to Murphy, who played two Tests during the 2023 Ashes were he conceded 4.72 an over.

“Whoever plays, I think that’s the mantra of our team, is to try and put pressure on people,” opener Zak Crawley, said. “Todd’s a very good bowler, but I can envisage us trying to put some pressure on him, like we would all their bowlers.

That’s going to come with some risks, and if it’s turning it’s definitely going to be a threat. But I think we’ll try and put pressure on all their bowlers.”

The other question for Australia will be whether Cameron Green remains in the side, after Beau Webster was spotted fielding in the gully during slips training on Friday. Green has averaged 18.66 with the bat in this series. The SCG was the scene of Webster’s debut a year ago against India.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Pramod hits 42 runs in an over

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/2

Thilina Walpola

Pramod Madushan hit 42 runs in an over.

Young Pramod Madushan has become the talk in cricket circles after he scored 42 runs in an over for Mercantile Services Cricket Academy against Sigi Cricket Academy at Ambalangoda recently.

In an over that contained nine deliveries, including two no-balls and a wide, Madushan cut loose hitting three fours and five sixes. In all, the over bowled by Bihandu Sandiv went for 45 runs.

The young cricketer from D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo shares the same name as Sri Lanka fast bowler Pramod Madushan. However, the 19-year-old is a wicketkeeper batter.

His knock of 103 came in just 38 deliveries and contained eight fours and ten sixes.

Latest News

Usman Khawaja to retire after fifth Ashes Test

Published

22 hours ago

2026/01/2

Priyan

Usman Khawaja has played 22 Ashes Tests [BBC]

Australia batter Usman Khawaja will retire from international cricket following the fifth Ashes Test against England in Sydney this week.

The 39-year-old will play his 88th and final Test on the ground where he made his debut against the same opponents in January 2011.

Khawaja was born in Pakistan and became the first Muslim to play for Australia when he took the place of Ricky Ponting at the end of England’s 3-1 series win 15 years ago.

The left-hander has made 6,206 Test runs at an average of 43.39, with 16 hundreds.

He has played in six Ashes series – winning two, losing two and drawing two.

He was also part of the Australia team that won the World Test Championship in 2023.

The final Test at the SCG starts on Sunday (23:30 GMT, Saturday).

Alongside Steve Smith, Khawaja is one of two remaining members of the Australia team beaten by England in their most recent series win in this country in 2010-11.

He needs 30 runs in his final Test to go above Mike Hussey and into 14th on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list, behind the great Donald Bradman in 13th.

Khawaja played the last of his 40 one-day internationals in 2019, having scored 1,554 runs at 42. He played in nine T20 internationals, scoring 241 runs at 26.77.

Now playing domestically for Queensland, Khawaja will end his career on the ground that was his home when he first played professional cricket for New South Wales in 2008.

Often in and out of the Australia team during his Test career, he found a home at the top of the order during the previous home Ashes in 2021-22.

However, his place has come under scrutiny during this series after he suffered back spasms in the first Test that prevented him from opening.

Travis Head took Khawaja’s place in the second innings and made a swashbuckling century to lead Australia to an eight-wicket win.

Khawaja subsequently missed the second Test with the back problem and was due to be left out of the third, only to receive a late call-up when Steve Smith fell ill.

He made 82 and 40 in Adelaide to retain his place for the fourth Test. Australia lead the series 3-1.

After the Ashes Australia will not play another Test until August, by which time Khawaja will be almost 40.

[BBC]