AFP: Sri Lanka are in no mood to let Australia off the hook as they look to follow up their first Test victory over the top side in 17 years, skipper Angelo Mathews said Wednesday.

Speaking on the eve of the second Test in Galle, Mathews said last week’s dramatic win in the series opener in Pallekele had banished the gloom in the home dressing-room after a string of defeats.

And Mathews said his team had a game plan for each of the tourists’ leading batsmen who have struggled to adapt to the extra turn on Sri Lanka’s pitches.

“The feeling is great in the camp after the beating we had got in the last six months,” Mathews told reporters.

“The guys were feeling a bit down and after the win at Pallekele we have got that extra confidence and extra energy going into this Test.”

Sri Lanka have endured a torrid 2016, losing their crown as T20 champions after being knocked out in the group stages, before a tour of England where they failed to win any of their nine internationals.

But they showed they remain a formidable side at home by beating Steve Smith’s world number one side in Pallekele, thanks to a maiden century from Kusal Mendis and another five-wicket haul by their lead spinner Rangana Herath.

That victory was the first over Australia in a Test match since 1999 and they now have a chance of securing the three-match series with a game to spare, especially if Herath can cause more havoc on his favourite ground.

“We have got to be cautious and we can’t write them off. They didn’t get runs, but they are a dangerous top order,” Mathews said.

“We can’t let them off the hook and we need to be on our money from the start. It’s tough to play spin here.”

“The coaches have come up with plans for each batsmen in their side,” said Mathews, while warning against complacency.

“We have got to be cautious about their batsmen who haven’t got runs. We have got to stick to the plans and good bowling will win us the game.”

Australia’s Smith banking on reverse swing on Galle turner

Reuters:  Galle has built a reputation as a spinners’ paradise but Australia captain Steve Smith hopes there will be substantial reverse swing at the venue as his top-ranked team bid for a series-levelling win against Sri Lanka in the second test.

Sri Lanka inflicted a 106-run defeat on the touring side at Pallekele last week in the opening match of the three-test series with the spinners taking 18 out of 20 Australian wickets to fall.

The hosts’ three-pronged spin attack will be brimming with confidence on a dry surface at Galle for the match that starts on Thursday, and will hope to take an unassailable lead against Australia, ranked number one in tests by the International Cricket Council.

South Africa pacemen Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn claimed 16 wickets between them as they bowled South Africa to a 153-run victory in Galle in 2014.

Australia will hope their fast bowling duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood can do something similar. Debutant left-arm spinner Jon Holland will replace the injured Steve O’Keefe and will partner off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

“Looks pretty dry, I daresay it’s going to take some spin, which at the same time there’s quite a big breeze so I think it will drift a lot for the spinners,” Smith told reporters.

“Talking to Allan Donald (bowling consultant) who was here with the South African team in that game, he said the ball reversed quite significantly from both ends.

“Morkel had it going away from the right handers and Steyn had it going into the right handers, so we’ve got Starc who can do and Hazlewood can do and Mitchell Marsh bowls good reverse swing as well, so we’ve got the bases covered.”