Khawaja 119, Smith 64 deflate Sri Lanka in afternoon session

January 29, 2025
5:31 pm

Australia 261 for 2 (Khawaja 119*, Smith 64*, Head 57, Vandersay 1-67) vs Sri Lanka

Stand-in captain Steven Smith scored his 10,000th Test run before compiling a majestic half-century, while Usman Khawaja reached his 16th ton as Australia were rewarded for an aggressive approach against a spin-heavy Sri Lanka attack on a slow Galle surface.

Australia moved to a dominant position on the opening day of the series after a wicketless second session. Khawaja and Smith have combined for an unbroken third-wicket 126-run partnership to capitalise on the batting-friendly conditions.

Smith, who averaged 66 in 38 previous Tests as captain, reached his half-century in 57 balls before slowing down before tea.

He had been perched on 9999 runs after agonisingly falling short of the landmark in the fifth Test against India on his SCG home ground.

But Smith reached the milestone on his first delivery just before lunch with a flick to mid-on to join Ricky Ponting, Allan Border and Steve Waugh as the only Australians to achieve the milestone. He earned a strong ovation from his teammates and the jovial Australia fans in the terraces as he celebrated with a modest wave of the bat.

He almost fell moments later when he offered a return catch to left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who spilt a chance low down to his right. But Smith was almost flawless after lunch as he donned his baggygreen cap and batted with authority. Much like openers Khawaja and Travis Head in the first session, Smith was quick on his feet and targeted the spinners down the ground.

Not having to face tormentor Jasprit Bumrah, Khawaja has cut a relaxed figure and played with good intent to end a long drought having gone without a century since the opening Ashes Test in mid-2023.

After a lean series against India, pressure had built on 38-year-old Khawaja but he repaid the faith by perfectly complementing the aggressiveness of Smith and Head, who justified his promotion up the order with 57 off 40 balls.

Khawaja unfurled the reverse sweep to good effect and scored at a healthy clip to reach his century off 135 balls, celebrating by pumping his fists and taking off his helmet before waving his bat.

It has been a torrid start to the series for Sri Lanka, who were particularly sloppy in the field and tardy with their reviews. They were left to rue numerous chances to dismiss Khawaja, including two dropped catches off the bowling of an increasingly flustered Jayasuriya, who destroyed Australia at the venue with a 12-wicket haul in his Test debut in 2022.

Khawaja was also lucky on 74 when he edged Jayasuriya through to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, but Sri Lanka did not review the not out decision.

Apart from a menacing spell before lunch by legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who turned the ball square having been a surprising inclusion, Sri Lanka’s bowlers have been rattled and unable to rein in Australia’s scoring run. They did limit the boundaries before tea amid defensive tactics.

Head set the tone after Smith had no hesitation to bat when the coin fell in his favour amid stifling humidity and a grassless surface. In a somewhat contentious move, Head moved up from No. 5 at the expense of 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who had made an eye-catching start to his Test career against India.

The decision also allowed Josh Inglis, the Western Australia wicketkeeper and a noted player of spin, to make his Test debut at five as a specialist batter.

Having previously struggled as a middle-order batter in Sri Lanka, Head had success as an opener in India on the 2023 tour and he replicated that in his whirlwind. Head’s swift strike rate suggests belligerent batting straight out of the recently concluded Big Bash League, but he played smartly and mostly in orthodox fashion.

Head pounced immediately on wayward bowling from Asitha Fernando, Sri Lanka’s sole frontline quick, with three boundaries in the opening over.

Head raced to 23 off 13 and showed no mercy, but he did receive some luck on the last ball of Fernando’s opening three-over spell when he was rapped on the pads. Fernando had appealed vigorously, but Sri Lanka opted against reviewing although replays suggested the not out decision would have been overturned.

Head reached his half-century off 35 balls, but fell shortly after when he tried to hit Jayasuriya over long-on but mis-hit to Dinesh Chandimal on the rope.

The game turned – literally – with Vandersay producing sharp legspin from the get go. He produced a Shane Warne-esque legbreak to beat Marnus Labuschagne all ends up on his first delivery, while Nishan Peiris had a huge lbw shout on the batter turned down with DRS upholding the decision.

Labuschagne on 20 poked Vandersay to first slip as Sri Lanka ended the first session in better spirits. But their mood quickly soured on resumption when Smith smashed Jayasuriya straight down the ground for six to launch what would be a brilliant session for Australia.

Australia selected a spin-heavy attack with offspinner Todd Murphy and left-armer Matthew Kuhnemann to complement frontliner Nathan Lyon.

Mitchell Starc was the sole paceman named with allrounder Beau Webster capable of bowling seam and seam. Scott Boland unluckily was dropped after taking 10 wickets against India in the SCG Test.

Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth