After a blazing fifty from Travis Head at the top, unbeaten centuries from Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith have put Australia on course for a big total.
Khawaja finally broke his rough patch, reaching a Test century after 33 innings. Meanwhile, Smith continued his excellent form with another hundred. Their unbroken partnership has strengthened Australia’s position.
At stumps on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, Australia stands strong at 330/2. During the pitch report, Farveez Maharoof suggested that 270 would be a good first-innings score. But the Australian batters have already surpassed that, leaving the Lankan bowlers frustrated.
Khawaja and Smith have laid a solid foundation, adding an unbeaten 195 runs off 307 balls for the third wicket.
Khawaja had been struggling for a long time in Test cricket. During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home against India, he managed just one fifty in 10 innings. In his last 15 innings before this century, that remained his only fifty-plus score. Breaking free from his slump, he brought up his 16th Test century, finishing the day on 147* off 247 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six. His last Test century came in June 2023 against England.
Smith, too, had gone through a lean patch before regaining his rhythm against India. This was his third century in four Tests, remaining unbeaten on 104 off 177 balls with 10 fours and a six.
Smith also reached a personal milestone on the day. Standing in as captain in Pat Cummins’ absence, he became only the fourth Australian and 14th overall to score 10,000 Test runs.
Earlier, Travis Head made a return to the opening spot and played an attacking knock of 57 off 40 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six. To accommodate him at the top, Australia left out Sam Konstas, who had impressed against India with his fearless batting.
However, Sri Lanka had multiple chances to dismiss all three of Australia’s key batters but failed to capitalize. Head was dropped on 23, Khawaja survived on 54, 74, and 90, while Smith had a lucky escape on just 1.
Winning the toss, Australia got off to a strong start as Head and Khawaja took on the Lankan bowlers. Head smashed three boundaries off Asitha Fernando in the very first over. Sri Lanka had an early chance to dismiss him in the fifth over, but they didn’t take a review for an LBW appeal, which could have sent him back.
Head raced to his fifty in just 35 balls but was eventually dismissed by Prabath Jayasuriya, caught at long-on while attempting a big shot. His opening partnership with Khawaja had added 92 runs.
Khawaja reached his fifty off 71 balls just before lunch. Soon after, he survived another chance when Dhananjaya de Silva dropped a catch at slip off Jayasuriya’s bowling.
Sri Lanka’s only other success in the session came when Jeffrey Vandersay dismissed Marnus Labuschagne with a sharp catch in the slips by Dhananjaya. On the very next delivery, Smith walked in and took a single to complete 10,000 Test runs. He too had an early reprieve, as Jayasuriya failed to grab a return catch when he was on just 1.
Australia went into lunch at 145/1. In the second session, Sri Lanka missed another crucial opportunity when they failed to review a caught-behind appeal against Khawaja. Later, replays confirmed the ball had nicked his bat before landing in the wicketkeeper’s gloves.
Khawaja got another life at 90 when wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis dropped him. A few overs later, he brought up his century off 135 balls with a boundary off Asitha.
Smith, who had reached his fifty in 57 balls, took 179 deliveries to complete his 35th Test century. Among Australian batters, only Ricky Ponting (41) has more Test centuries than Smith. Overall, he now sits seventh on the list of players with the most Test centuries.
Just as Australia was dominating, rain interrupted play, and no further action was possible.
Summary Scores:
- Australia 1st Innings: 330/2 in 81.1 overs (Khawaja 147*, Head 57, Labuschagne 20, Smith 104*; Asitha 7-0-41-0, Peiris 21.1-0-93-0, Jayasuriya 33-7-102-1, Vandersay 20-0-93-1).