Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2nd Test Day 1, Highlights: Sri Lanka Limp To 229/9 At Stumps

That ends the action from an action-packed Day 1. What does Day 2 hold in store? The first ball will be bowled at 4.30 am GMT on Friday, 7th February, 2025, but our buildup will begin well in advance. Please do tune in early. In the meanwhile, you can catch the action from the first ODI between India and England, where the English have been restricted to 248 in Nagpur. Additionally, you can also follow the action from the one-off Test between Zimbabwe and Ireland in Bulawayo, where the Irish have recovered nicely from 31/5. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

How long? How long? Would be the main question for Friday. How long can Kusal Mendis hold off Australia on Friday morning? Well someone just needs to show him the video of what happened on 28th July, 2016 when a certain Mitchell Starc was raging with fire to bowl against him. And the rest, as they say, became history. The Lankans will aim to bat for as long as possible and try to get to that 300, which is still on if Kusal goes berserk. Australia, on the other hand, will aim to not let things get out of hand. Not too long ago, Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland frustrated India with the bat at the MCG, so they will know how it feels when the last wicket partnership builds on.

When the chips are down, champions stand up. Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis. Two half centurions, steering their Lankan ship out of troubled waters. Chandimal fought hard for his 74 early on, trying to guide his team through a difficult post-Lunch session while a determined Kusal handled the final session well, ensuring that the hosts don't get bowled out for a sub-par score from 150/6. The Lankan fans would be hoping for a swashbuckling knock on Friday morning from Kusal Mendis and given that he is only going to be farming the strike, do not rule out a century on Day 2.

Building on the previous para, Sri Lanka would be reasonably happy with this effort. Yes, batting first and losing 9 wickets in a day is not ideal but this is not a 400-450 pitch. As per Farveez Maharoof and Russel Arnold on air, 230 in these conditions would be a good total and the Lankans have got there. If any, they would be ruing that collapse in the middle session. From a position of strength at 93/1, they threw it away to being reduced to 150/6, with only Chandimal's wicket to be associated with excellent bowling. Had that collapse not happened, as mentioned earlier, 275 would have been attained on Day 1 itself.

Hmmm... 150 wickets in the subcontinent in Tests. Amazing. The first non-Asian bowler to achieve this feat. The next best is 127, by the legendary late Shane Warne. The GOAT did not find any grass on the wicket but had plenty of purchase with the old and new ball. Having said that, Sri Lanka would not be minding it too much either.

Here's Nathan Lyon up for a quick chat with the broadcasters. Lyon says that Mathew Kuhnemann bowled exceptionally well in all three sessions and they are pretty happy with the effort and how things have gone for Day 1 after that second wicket partnership. Talks about taking 150 wickets in the subcontinent as he is pleased with that and taking wickets in these challenging conditions is always fruitful for him. Says that the pitch is a lot drier and he has extracted that fully and used the footmarks for generating turn.

Given that Australia have only three frontline bowlers for this match, it was a decent effort by Kuhnemann and Lyon as well, bowling in the nagging areas. When wickets were not coming, Smith was forced to turn to the likes of Webster, Connolly and Head and even in that, Mr. Midas struck to remove Kamindu Mendis. You know whom we are talking about. If any, the Aussies would be unhappy with the way they bowled in the first session. The pitch started to show signs of turn early in the morning, but then suddenly, everything vanished. Seeing that turn and the dismissal of Pathum Nissanka, Lyon and Kuhnemann tried to go a bit wide in anticipation of turn and in that process, let the batters settle. However, post Lunch, it was a proper disciplined bowling performance.

Why 40 for Australia, do you ask? Well, if you lose the toss in Galle, but still pick up 9 wickets on the opening day, with one third of those going to a fast bowler and the run rate a shade above 2.5, you have got to be pleased as a fielding captain. Steven Smith was extremely innovative and on his feet in terms of quick thinking, rotating his bowlers and constantly keeping the batters under pressure. The second session was where Australia really squeezed things, picking up 4/57, which slowed down the Lankans considerably, else, they could have possibly reached 275 on Day 1 itself. Ironically, it was Mitchell Starc who was the bowler of the day, with his second spell - 5-3-2-1 - being the standout, in that middle session. He tirelessly went at the batters, both with the hands and with the mouth, trying to constantly unsettle them.

So Sri Lanka will be batting on Day 2 as well. End of a really good day of Test cricket with neither team giving an inch to the other. In the end, batting first on a deteriorating pitch and getting past 200 gives the Lankans an edge. So let's put it this way - 60-40 Sri Lanka?

Safely negotiated and that will be STUMPS ON DAY 1! Matthew Kuhnemann comes over the wicket to the left-hander and tosses it up, full on off, darting it in. Lahiru Kumara takes a stride out and solidly blocks it off. Sri Lanka end Day 1 on 229/9!

A bit of yes and no but they scamper across safely in the end. Marginally short and around off, Mendis backs away and taps it wide of point and gets through to the other end with just one ball remaining on Day 1.

Drifted onto middle, Kusal Mendis lunges and blocks it down the pitch.

Drags his length a bit, outside off, Kusal Mendis presses back and opens the face of the bat to guide it to backward point.

Floated up, outside off, Kusal Mendis lunges to defend it under his eyes.

Starts the last over of the day with a full ball, just outside off, Kusal Mendis comes forward and blocks it towards cover.

Seems like we might be in for a double change. After that previous Starc over, players were seen patting him on the back, which suggests that he might be done for the day. Indeed. Matthew Kuhnemann gets a change of ends and will bowl the final over of the day. 29-9-52-2 so far. This is the same end where he started from.

Straughter one, bowled full and on off, Lahiru Kumara solidly blocks it off.

Fuller this time, on the fourth stump line and this one turns away quickly and a bit too much as Lahiru Kumara ends up playing well inside the line.

Around the stumps, bowled fractionally short and angled in from outside off. This one turns away after pitching as Kuamra pulls out of the attempted block.

Nagging length, slower through the air, around middle, Lahiru Kumara comes forward and drops it down with the full face of the bat.