SL vs AUS: Australia record their quickest Test victory in 20 years
Australia thrashed Sri Lanka in the first Test of the two-match series on July 1, Friday, as Pat Cummins’s side won by ten wickets in the first session of the third day. It was also Australia’s fastest victory in the format in 20 years, courtesy of some top-class bowling from the Aussie spinners.
The Galle wicket offered some turn right from Day 1, and Sri Lanka, who batted first after winning the toss, surrendered to spinners Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson, as the duo picked up eight wickets between them in the innings. Sri Lanka put up a total of 212 in 59 overs, thanks to a counter-attacking fifty from their wicketkeeper-keeper batter Niroshan Dickwella.
The Australian innings was led by all-rounder Cameron Green, who top-scored with 77 runs off 109 balls. Usman Khawaja, at the top, also contributed with a knock of 71 runs off 130 balls, and their wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey scored a quickfire 45 off 47 balls, batting at number seven. Australia amassed a total of 321, taking a sizable lead of 109 in the first session of Day 3.
Rampant Australian spinners bundle out Sri Lanka in 22.5 overs
Sri Lanka, in the second innings, started brightly with Pathum Nissanka and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, scoring 17 of the first over, which was bowled by Mitchell Starc. Once the off-spinner, Lyon arrived, it was also the beginning of Sri Lanka’s procession. Karunaratne was dismissed for 23 in the sixth over and eventually ended up as the top scorer in the innings. Lyon and Swepson went on to bag four and two wickets respectively, and Travis Head cleaned up the tail, picking up four wickets in 2.5 overs. Sri Lanka were bundled out for 113 runs in 22.5 overs, setting up a negligible target of just five.
In came the Australia openers David Warner and Khawaja towards the end of the session, and the chase was complete in only four balls as Warner hit four and a six of the last two balls off Ramesh Mendis. Green was adjudged the Player of the Match for his performance with the bat in the first innings.
