Sri Lanka in tatters as Australia tighten the screw

Rex Clementine in Galle

Sri Lanka were in dire straits, having lost the cream of their batting lineup for peanuts and limped to 44 for three at stumps on day two, in reply to Australia’s mammoth first-innings total of 654 for six declared. With a mountain still to climb, they trail by 610 runs and need a further 410 to avoid the dreaded follow-on.

Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann wasted no time making an impact, sharing the new ball with Mitchell Starc and striking in his very first over. He trapped Oshada Fernando plumb in front, leaving the batsman ruing a wasted review.

Things went from bad to worse when Dimuth Karunaratne was brilliantly snared by substitute fielder Nathan McSweeney, who juggled the catch at gully before finally pouching it on the second attempt.

Nathan Lyon then joined the party, luring Angelo Mathews into a fatal mistake, as the veteran edged one to the bat-pad fielder. At 30 for three, Sri Lanka were tottering, staring down the barrel.

A special board honoring spin legends Shane Warne & Muttiah Muralitharan now stands at the Galle Stadium entrance. Fans can pay tribute by signing it. Ex-SL all-rounder Farveez Maharoof was the first to sign. The board will remain on display throughout the series

It could have been even more catastrophic had McSweeney not spilled Dinesh Chandimal, offering Starc a second wicket.

Australia’s dominance with the bat was built on the rock-solid Usman Khawaja, whose maiden double hundred was the cornerstone of their towering total. Centuries from Steve Smith and debutant Josh Inglis only added to Sri Lanka’s misery.

Khawaja, who rode his luck on day one, was imperious on the second, offering a masterclass in countering spin on a turning track. Playing late and deep in the crease, he nullified the turn with sound defence while rotating the strike intelligently. When the bowlers erred, he cashed in, unfurling an array of sweeps – both conventional and reverse – to keep the scoreboard ticking.

At 38, whispers of Khawaja’s future had grown louder after a lean patch against India, but he silenced the critics emphatically, proving that few in the Australian lineup handle subcontinental conditions better than him. His marathon 232 is now the second-highest score by an Australian in Asia, only behind Mark Taylor’s legendary 334 not out in Peshawar back in 1998. In the process, Khawaja also etched his name in history as the first Australian to score a double hundred in Sri Lanka, now owning the highest individual score in Tests between these two nations.

Smith, who earlier became just the 15th batter – and only the fourth Australian – to breach the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket, played his part with a classy 141. His record-breaking 266-run partnership with Khawaja for the third wicket laid the perfect foundation.

After Smith’s departure, Khawaja found another willing ally in Inglis, adding 146 runs for the fourth wicket. While Khawaja was the steady anchor, Inglis played with flair, treating the crowd to audacious strokeplay. Racing to his maiden Test hundred in just 90 balls, he became the 21st Australian to notch up a debut century.

It was a moment to cherish for his parents, who had flown in from Perth just in time to witness their son’s heroics in Galle. Also in attendance was former Test cricketer Geoff Marsh, who had mentored Inglis at the WACA Academy and had the honour of presenting him with his cherished Baggy Green.

This is Australia’s highest total ever in Asia.