Smith masterclass puts Australia in driving seat

 Alex Carey is congratulated by his Captain Steve Smith after reaching his hundred  

Kusal Mendis repelled Australia with an outstanding innings of 85*	Steve Smith celebrates his 36th Test century and second of the series

• Sri Lanka under the pump in second Test
• Smith-Carey double-century stand blunts spinners

Sa’adi Thawfeeq 

reporting from Galle 

Australian Captain Steve Smith’s second century of the series and 36th of his Test career and Alex Carey’s second Test hundred put their team in complete control of the second Warne-Murali Trophy Test played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

It was total domination from the pair who have so far put on an unfinished stand of 239 off 331 balls for the fourth wicket as Australia ended the second day at 330-3 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings of 257. 

The two of them got together when the score was 91-3 and along the way, raised their hundreds to take Australia into a 73-run lead, which is already a healthy one. The pitch offered slow turn but both Smith and Carey countered it beautifully, using their feet, employing the sweep and reverse-sweep, and also looking very secure in defence.

Carey, in particular, was quite positive, raising his hundred off just 118 balls with 9 fours and a six, and finished the day unbeaten on 139 scored off 156 balls (13 fours, 2 sixes). Smith, on the other hand, was his usual unflappable self, remaining 120* off 239 balls (9 fours, 1 six). The only unusual part about his innings was the reverse-sweep, which he played multiple times yesterday. It is a stroke that you seldom see him play. Smith now has four hundreds in his last five Tests and 17 hundreds as Test Captain.

Carey was promoted up the order because Josh Inglis could not bat in his usual position until Australia were five down, as he was off the field for more than 3-4 hours on the first day due to a back spasm.

Carey certainly took full advantage of that promotion, batting superbly, not allowing the spinners to settle. Such was the dominance that Prabath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s main spinner, started resorting to negative lines, bowling outside leg to Smith from over the wicket.

Sri Lanka thought they had a window open when Usman Khawaja fell in the fourth over after lunch; but the manner in which Smith and Carey batted, they were not able to apply any pressure and the pitch hadn’t gone the way it was quite expected to.

“We are in a commanding position and we want to score as many runs as possible in the first innings as batting can get tricky later in the game,” said Carey at the end of the day. “We are aware that the new ball is due and it can be a tricky period. We just need to see off the new ball and keep doing what we have been doing. We have a lot of batting depth as well.”

Speaking about his partnership with Smith, Carey said: “We kept to a pretty simple plan. Swept a lot and played the reverse sweep as well. Playing with Steve is always a great experience. It was an amazing knock from him. Some 36 Test hundreds is a very good blueprint to watch from the other end. I think it was another pleasing part to stay with the skipper and put on a strong partnership.”

“At times, we saw the ball spin and you can get caught playing for spin. We kept out the straight balls. I reckon when the ball is hard, there is a bit of turn and bounce and the ball tends to skid a bit. I thought we played pretty well to keep them out of the game for a while. The wicket will start to fall apart soon. There are footmarks and our bowlers were able to control things in the second session. Full credit to our bowlers.”

The morning session saw Sri Lanka add a further 28 runs through the last pair, Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Kumara, to get Sri Lanka past the 250-run mark. But Kumara’s dismissal left Mendis stranded on 85, an outstanding knock in the circumstances that comprised 10 fours and a six off 139 balls. Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc took three wickets apiece.

“We know that Steve Smith is someone who has scored runs all over the world. His numbers in Asia are unbelievable. He did not play his shots early on in the innings. He played just a couple of shots and then he came up with his full repertoire of strokes. He absorbed the pressure well and it was a superb knock,” said Kusal Mendis.

“Australia was superb today. They bowled well and they took on our spinners well. Probably, they had a bit of luck as well as edges fell in the gaps. There were a few loose shots. We need to knock them off soon. We cannot afford them to get a big first innings total. The first hour is going to be crucial. If we are able to make a few breakthroughs, then we are in the game. The new ball provides opportunities to take wickets. Bowlers are able to grip the ball more with it.”

Talking of his contribution to the team, Mendis said: “My role in the team has changed. It is a new challenge batting at number seven and keeping wickets in Test match cricket. I was not used to it. I chatted with guys like Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal who have done the job before me. I thought we did well today. Lahiru Kumara and Ramesh Mendis were able to make contributions. My role is batting with tail to trust them, and sometimes to farm strike, and I am glad how it went.”