Australia in strong position on Day one of first Test against Sri Lanka

Australia finished the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in a dominant position at 330 for 2, with rain ending play after 81.1 overs. Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith were the key performers, both scoring centuries as Australia capitalized on batting-friendly conditions at Galle.

Khawaja, who had been without a century since mid-2023, made 147* off 210 balls, while Smith reached his 10,000th Test run before finishing the day on 104*. The pair shared an unbroken 195-run partnership for the third wicket, with Smith’s century marking his third in Sri Lanka, making him the most prolific Australian batter in the country.

Smith had entered the match on 9,999 Test runs, and he reached the milestone in his very first delivery of the match before lunch, flicking the ball to mid-on. The crowd cheered as he raised his bat in celebration. He continued his strong form after lunch, quickly reaching 50 off just 57 balls. He later slowed down in the final session as Sri Lanka’s bowlers, particularly Prabath Jayasuriya, resorted to defensive tactics. Despite an early drop chance off Jayasuriya, Smith remained in control, reaching his 35th Test century.

Khawaja also made a strong statement, playing with intent and using the reverse sweep effectively. He reached his century off 135 balls, marking the end of his long drought without a ton. His knock included some luck, with Sri Lanka missing opportunities to dismiss him, including a dropped catch and a failed review on his edge to the keeper.

Travis Head, promoted to opener in this match, also contributed with a brisk 57 off 40 balls, setting the tone for Australia’s aggressive approach. Head’s innings included some quick runs and a couple of moments of luck, including an unreviewed lbw shout. Head was dismissed when he mis-hit a shot off Jayasuriya, falling to Dinesh Chandimal.

Sri Lanka struggled to rein in Australia’s batting, with Jeffrey Vandersay providing the only notable resistance. Vandersay had a menacing spell before lunch, taking some sharp turn, but overall Sri Lanka’s bowlers were unable to contain the Australian attack. They also made several fielding errors and missed key opportunities, with a couple of chances to dismiss Khawaja going begging.

The weather disrupted play in the final stages, with rain halting the game after Australia had added 261 runs at a rate of 4.35 runs per over in the first two sessions. The Australians were well on top, with Sri Lanka unable to find the breakthroughs they needed.

The day had been a perfect start for Australia, who are looking for their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2011.