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Khawaja brings up maiden double-century as Australia cross 450
Opener Usman Khawaja celebrated his maiden Test double century as Australia continued to build a formidable first innings total on day two against a hapless Sri Lanka in the opening Test in Galle.
Khawaja reached lunch on 204 not out, while debutant Josh Inglis cruised to 44 at a run-a-ball pace to strengthen Australia’s position. Khawaja also notched his highest Test score, overtaking his 195 not out against South Africa at the SCG in 2023 when rain forced an Australia declaration.
Khawaja and stand-in captain Steven Smith have been the fulcrum of what will be a massive Australia first innings, combining for a 266-run partnership. They added 71 runs on day two before Smith fell lbw for 141 to legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, Sri Lanka’s most threatening bowler.
Smith added 37 runs to his overnight tally after a momentous opening day where he became the fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs en route to a 35th century.
The 38-year-old Khawaja celebrated his first Test double century just before lunch as he kneeled down and bowed to the turf as the fans, many of whom are Australians, applauded with gusto.
He had earlier overtaken Justin Langer’s 166 in Colombo in 2004 as the highest score by an Australian in Sri Lanka. Having struggled against spin earlier in his career in South Asia, Khawaja has become only the second Australian after Allan Border to make Test centuries in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Khawaja has wound back the clock after an 18-month Test century drought, having most recently against India struggled at the hands of tormentor Jasprit Bumrah.
Sri Lanka only used their trio of spinners through the first session, but mostly to no avail. They have been unable to stop the flow of runs much like the opening two sessions on day one. Sri Lanka’s tardy performance in the field on the opening day, where they missed several opportunities to dismiss Khawaja and Smith, has proven costly.
Australia resumed on 330 for 2 with play starting 15 minutes early after rain ended day one prematurely. Armed with a second new ball, offspinner Nishan Peiris immediately spun the ball sharply and troubled Khawaja from around the wicket.
The conditions were more challenging than on the opening day as left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya settled into a good rhythm. After resorting to a defensive leg stump tactic late on day one, Jayasuriya attacked the stumps and aimed to skid the ball on.
But he was met by steely defence from Khawaja and Smith, who after four overs had enough and showed his first signs of aggression by skipping down the wicket as the partnership passed 200 runs.
Khawaja soon brought up his 150 before whacking the first boundary of the day with an excellent slog sweep off Peiris. He had unfurled the reverse sweep to good effect on day one, but Khawaja was lucky on his first attempt in the morning’s play when he only just cleared Peiris over short third for a boundary.
Smith started to rediscover his tempo from day one and once again showcased lightning footwork to whack Peiris over cover. He was even more belligerent against Jayasuriya, hammering him over long-on for six as Australia passed 400 runs.
A third straight wicketless session loomed for Sri Lanka until Vandersay deceived Smith with a delivery that straightened down the line and hit him on the back pad. Vandersay’s enthusiastic appeal was initially turned down, but the decision was overturned on review in a massive relief for Sri Lanka.
After waiting almost 100 overs, Inglis finally entered the crease as he chewed gum furiously awaiting his first delivery in Test cricket. He started in fine fashion with a boundary after whipping Vandersay through mid-on and was at ease against spin even though his reverse sweeps picked out fielders.
He showcased his confidence by skipping down the track and launching several blows down the ground. Even though he is brought up on the pace-friendly WACA ground, Inglis is a noted player of spin underlining exactly why the selectors were keen to shoehorn him in the side.
Inglis, the Western Australia wicketkeeper, is playing as a specialist batter and proved he is ready for the Test level having performed strongly in the Sheffield Shield, while he has captained Australia in T20I and ODI cricket recently.
Brief scores: [Day 2 Lunch]
Australia 475 for 3 in 114 overs (Usman Khawaja 204*, Steven Smith 141, Travis Head 57, Josh Inglis 44*; Jeffrey Vandersay 2-131, Prabath Jayasuriya 1-163) vs Sri Lanka
[Cricinfo]
European leaders, including in France and Germany, have announced they are working on a plan in the event the United States follows through on its threat to take over Greenland as tensions soar.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio on Wednesday that while nations want to act if the US moves to seize Greenland from an ally, Denmark, they want to do so “together with our European partners”.
“I myself was on the phone with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday. He discarded the idea that what just happened in Venezuela could happen in Greenland,” Barrot said.
On Saturday, the United States – using fighter jets, attack helicopters, and special forces – abducted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to New York City to be tried for alleged drug trafficking.
US President Donald Trump’s decision to greenlight the abduction of Maduro led to widespread condemnation and fear that Greenland, which the president has previously said should be part of Washington’s security apparatus, could be forcibly taken.
But since then, European allies have rallied behind Greenland’s sovereignty, saying the country belongs to its people.
Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Finland’s parliament, called for the issue to be raised within NATO.
“[Allies should] address whether something needs to be done and whether the United States should be brought into line in the sense that it cannot disregard jointly agreed plans in order to pursue its own power ambitions,” he said.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, requested an urgent meeting with Rubio to discuss the situation.
“We would like to add some nuance to the conversation,” Rasmussen wrote in a social media post. “The shouting match must be replaced by a more sensible dialogue. Now.”
Denmark has warned that any move to take Greenland by force would mean “everything would stop”, including NATO and 80 years of close security links.
Greenland’s government will join a meeting between Rubio and Danish officials next week following renewed US claims on the Arctic island, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.
The European Union will support Greenland and Denmark when needed and will not accept violations of international law no matter where they occur, European Council President Antonio Costa said.
“On Greenland, allow me to be clear: Greenland belongs to its people. Nothing can be decided about Denmark and about Greenland without Denmark or without Greenland,” Costa said in a speech.
“The European Union cannot accept violations of international law – whether in Cyprus, Latin America, Greenland, Ukraine, or Gaza. Europe will remain a firm and unwavering champion of international law and multilateralism.”
Greenland – the world’s largest island, with a population of 57,000 people – is located between Europe and North America. Since 2019, during Trump’s first term, the president has raised the idea of controlling Greenland, saying it would benifit US security.
So far, Trump has not ruled out using force to take the island.
Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that Trump’s intention is to buy Greenland. “That’s always been the president’s intent from the very beginning.”
House US House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hasn’t heard talk of sending the military into Greenland and the US is “looking at diplomatic channels”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump and his national security team have “actively discussed” the option of buying Greenland.
“He views it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region. And so that’s why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like,” Leavitt told reporters.
Neither Leavitt nor Rubio ruled out the use of force. But Leavitt said, “The president’s first option, always, has been diplomacy.”
[Aljazeera]
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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya
The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours commencing at 1200hrs today [08]
Accordingly
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Wilgamuwa in the Matale District, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya District.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Meegahakiwula, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Lunugala, Badulla, Passara, Uva Paranagama and Hali_Ela in the Badulla District, Ambanganga Korale in the Matale District, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya District.
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