Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2nd Test Day 2, Live Score Updates

Great gesture by Dhananjaya de Silva as he lets Dimuth Karunaratne to lead the Lankans in his 100th and final match. The Aussie openers in Travis Head and Usman Khawaja follow them. It will be Lahiru Kumara to start things off to Head. Here we go...

... SECOND INNINGS ...

257. Par? Sub par? Sub par, in terms of a Test match in the subcontinent. But probably, par, given the pitch and the conditions. Sri Lanka will be looking to get early breakthroughs and then pick wickets regularly to try and bowl out the Aussies under 200. The visitors, on the other hand, would want to replicate what they did in the first Test. Not just by runs, but by the discipline shown by the top four batters, playing out a lot of balls and tiring out the Lankans. Partnerships would be the key. Please stay tuned.

Barring the first session on Day 1, Australia were on the mark. They had only three specialist bowlers in Starc, Lyon and Kuhnemann and the three of them took 3 wickets apiece, with Head getting a bonus wicket as well. Captain Steven Smith marshalled his bowling changes and field changes superbly, not allowing the Lankans to score too freely, even during a partnership.

257 is what Sri Lanka get, riding largely on a fine 74 by Dinesh Chandimal in the first half of Day 1 and then on a terrific unbeaten 85 by Kusal Mendis from the second half of Day 1, which also included shepherding the tail. The hosts can look at this in two ways - 1. Collapsing from 93/1 to 150/6. Or 2. Recovering from 150/6 to 257 all out. When Chandimal fell, Kusal was on 8 and the team's score was 150. In the remaining 107 runs, Mendis scored 77 runs, which shows how he manouvered the strike with full control. Not the best of batting displays by the home side after winning the toss but they will take it for now, on this deteriorating pitch.

So around 8 overs needed for Australia this morning but they get the job done. They were a bit frustrated by the last-wicket stand but will be reasonably happy to keep Sri Lanka to around the 250-ish mark after being asked to bowl first. Having said that, the pitch looks trickier to bat on this morning and batting will subsequently become a challenge as the game goes on.

OUT! CAUGHT! Australia finally break the last-wicket stand. They had to be on the ground for 8 overs this morning to take this last wicket. Matthew Kuhnemann picks up his third as he comes around the wicket and gives air to the ball. Nagging length, outside off, skids through the surface, Lahiru Kumara gets caught up in the crease as he can't decide whether to play this on the front foot or on the back foot. The ball takes the outside edge and goes towards the gully fielder in quick time where Beau Webster stays low, extends his arms to his right and pouches it with both hands. A really sharp catch. SRI LANKA END WITH 257!

Landed around off, 86 kph, Kusal goes right back, waits for the ball to come and then pushes it towards deep point for a single.

Fired down the leg side, Mendis looks to sweep but misses out.

Short, outside off, spinning away, Kusal Mendis rocks back and cuts it straight to Travis Head at deep backward point.

More slower this time from Lyon and around off, pitches up, Lahiru Kumara defends it. The partnership has moved to 32 and a really frustrating one for Australia.

A confident defence this time! Tossed up, around off, Lahiru Kumara lets the ball come to him and then blocks it out off the front foot.

Nagging length, around middle, from around the wicket, Lahiru Kumara goes back and drops it down with the full face of the bat.

Outside off, Kusal punches it through the covers and takes the single on the third ball of the over.

Tossed up, on middle, Mendis jumps down the track and swings hard, but is unable to get to the pitch of the ball. As a result, he does not get the leverage he wanted and hits it off the toe end of the bat down to long on. Does not run.

Full, outside leg, Kusal Mendis reverse sweeps it fine but first slip has been moved back to deep third and Mendis denies the single.

Comes around the wicket, flighted up, just outside off, Lahiru Kumara again plays the wrong line as he presses back and looks to defend but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Floated up, around off, Lahiru Kumara blocks it to forward short leg.

BEATEN! Tossed up, just outside off, Lahiru Kumara comes forward and looks to defend it but plays the wrong line and gets beaten on the outside edge.

A touch short, outside off, Kusal reaches out and punches it to deep point for a single.