Match Center

1st Test, Galle, January 29, 2025, 10:00 AM

1 flag safari Australia
654/6(154.0ov)
8 flag safari Sri Lanka
165/10(52.2ov) & 247/10(54.3ov)

Australia beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs

Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
232
352
16
1
65.9
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
18.2
63
5
3.43
Man of the Match
Usman Khawaja
Commentry
That wraps up this one-sided encounter, where Australia steamrolled Sri Lanka to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Sri Lanka have plenty to ponder before the second Test, as they must display far better application to stand a chance of levelling the series. Australia, on the other hand, will be full of confidence after this dominant display and will look to carry the momentum forward. The second and final Test will also be played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, starting on February 6, 2025, with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 4.30 am GMT. As always, our buildup begins well in advance, so make sure to tune in early for all the latest updates. Until then, cheers and goodbye!
Australia's skipper, Steven Smith says that it worked out well and they started the Test match beautifully with the opening pair and applauds the way Usman Khawaja played and then appreciates the bowlers to get the job done. Mentions that it broke up and the first day doesn't reflect the whole picture and reckons the bowlers bowled really well and the beauty of three spinners is that you can rotate them nicely. Adds that every surface you play on is different and on this occasion, three spinners was the way to go. Ends by saying that he never thought he would score so many runs and it is a dream come true to not only play a Test for Australia but more than a 100 Tests.
Dhananjaya de Silva, the skipper of Sri Lanka says that the Toss is crucial at Galle and it was never easy chasing a 600-plus score. Appreciates Jeffrey Vandersay's knock and mentions that the pitch wasn't that bad but the ball was turning enough and the batters should have put in better performances. Says that had their chances and they dropped them at crucial stages. Concludes that they will have to put their bodies behind the line and they will have to bring their A-game in front of such a strong team like Australia.
Usman Khawaja is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his magnificent double-hundred that set things up for Australia. Khawaja starts by saying that is he very grateful to be playing cricket for Australia and it feels nice to contribute at a tricky place like Galle. Adds that cricket is a team game and you want to score all the time but all you can hope is that if you don't score then someone else does and vice-versa. Mentions that this is his fifth trip to Sri Lanka and has learnt a lot from his past mistakes and has his own plans against the spin here.
It's time for the Presentation Ceremony ...
Australia enforced the follow-on for the first time in 22 years, and Sri Lanka’s batting struggles only deepened. Losing two wickets within four overs, they were left tottering at 6/2. The middle order showed some resistance, stitching together a few 40+ partnerships, but Australia’s spinners ensured that none of the starts blossomed into a match-saving innings. Jeffrey Vandersay towards the end played a nice little cameo to get his maiden half-century and delay the inevitable but Australia managed to get the job done. Nathan Lyon led the charge, and along with Matthew Kuhnemann, the duo shared eight wickets, four apiece to bring Sri Lanka’s innings to a close. A staggering 15 wickets fell on Day 4 alone, exposing the glaring weaknesses in Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.
Needing a strong response with the bat, Sri Lanka collapsed to 30/3 before Dinesh Chandimal showed some fight. The first session on Day 3 was their best period in the game, where they managed a few decent partnerships, but none of them converted into big scores. Rain on Day 3 helped them delay the inevitable, but Day 4 turned into a nightmare. Australia’s bowlers, led by Matthew Kuhnemann's five-fer and Nathan Lyon's three wickets, tore through Sri Lanka’s fragile batting lineup. Kusal Mendis’s dismissal triggered another collapse, and Sri Lanka were bowled out for 165 in just under 53 overs, trailing by 489 runs.
Batting once was all Australia needed, and they batted big. Travis Head set up the game for Australia with his aggressive batting at the top and Usman Khawaja led the way with a maiden Test double century. Steven Smith not only scored a century but also joined the elite 10,000-run club in Test cricket while debutant Josh Inglis ensured Australia’s dominance with a fine century of his own, as the visitors piled up 654/6 before declaring with an hour left on Day 2. Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled with consistency, and the team did not grab the chances that came their way. While Prabath Jayasuriya and Jeffrey Vandersay picked up three wickets each, the bowling unit as a whole was never able to trouble the Australian batters enough.
It’s hard to pinpoint whether it was Sri Lanka’s bowling or batting that let them down, but their performance was well below par. The pitch didn’t have any demons as such, yet Sri Lanka’s poor approach and lack of application saw them crumble not once but twice with the bat. This marks Sri Lanka's biggest-ever Test defeat going past their previous loss by an inning and 239 runs against India in Nagpur, 2017.
Australia have completed a dominant victory in the first Test of the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy, 2025, winning by an innings and 242 runs to take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Very few would have expected the game to end this swiftly, but such was the one-sided nature of the contest, with Australia completely outclassing Sri Lanka in all departments.
In over# 55
0W
6
4
Matthew Kuhnemann 86/4(17.3)
OUT! CAUGHT! That's it, it's all over and Australia have picked up their fourth biggest Test win ever, winning by an innings and 242 runs! Matthew Kuhnemann tosses this one up and pushes it wider of the off stump. Jeffrey Vandersay having got a couple of hits away and now reached his fifty, throws his hands at it and miscues it completely. The ball gets sliced up around backward point where Mitchell Starc settles under it and picks up a catch. Kuhnemann picks up his fourth wicket of the innings and his 9th in the match.
54.3
W
OUT! CAUGHT! That's it, it's all over and Australia have picked up their fourth biggest Test win ever, winning by an innings and 242 runs! Matthew Kuhnemann tosses this one up and pushes it wider of the off stump. Jeffrey Vandersay having got a couple of hits away and now reached his fifty, throws his hands at it and miscues it completely. The ball gets sliced up around backward point where Mitchell Starc settles under it and picks up a catch. Kuhnemann picks up his fourth wicket of the innings and his 9th in the match.
54.2
6
SIX AND FIFTY FOR VANDERSAY! This is an outstanding fightback from the spinner. Gets his maiden half-century! Flighted full, around off, Jeffrey Vandersay clubs it over mid off and manages to clear the distance on the full this time. An annoying knock to say the least for the Aussies!
54.1
4
FOUR! Smoked! Tossed up, around off, Jeffrey Vandersay lofts it over mid off for a boundary.
In over# 54
0
0
0
1
0
0
Todd Murphy 57/1(11)
53.6
.
Nagging length, around middle, Asitha Fernando gets his bat ahead and blocks it well.
53.5
.
Quicker, full and at the stumps, Asitha Fernando clips it to square leg off his pads.
53.4
.
Full, just outside off, Asitha Fernando is solid in defence.

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