Australia showcased their dominance on Day 2 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium, with stellar contributions from captain Steve Smith and wicketkeeper Alex Carey. The visitors ended the day at 330 for 3, leading Sri Lanka by 73 runs by stumps on February 7, 2025.
Starting the day after having reduced Sri Lanka to 229 for 9 at the end of Day 1, Australia aimed to capitalize on their position. With the pitch showing signs of wear and tear, Sri Lanka’s bowling attack struggled to contain the flow of runs, as Smith and Carey navigated their innings with skill and strategy.
Smith, who celebrated his 36th Test century, demonstrated remarkable composure and resilience, scoring 120 runs from 239 balls by the end of the day. His innings was characterized by deft footwork and precision stroke-playing, particularly against the spin challenge posed by the Sri Lankan bowlers. Meanwhile, Alex Carey brought up his second Test century, finishing the day not out at 139 runs off 156 deliveries, marking his first Test century since December 2022.
“This has been one of the most satisfying innings of my career,” Carey commented after reaching his milestone, reflecting on how he had seized the opportunity to bat higher up the order due to a teammate's absence. His innings was laced with aggressive shots, including 13 fours and 2 sixes, underscoring his positive approach.
The day saw Australia score 112 runs, losing just one wicket during the second session, which severely dented Sri Lanka's confidence. Smith and Carey put on an unbeaten 200-plus partnership for the fourth wicket, allowing Australia to consolidate their position significantly.
Sri Lanka had hoped for breakthroughs early on Day 2, but their bowling attack, consisting mainly of spinners, failed to make any significant impact. Despite showing moments of promise, with Nishan Peiris and Ramesh Mendis taking the new ball, the visitors quickly adapted to their tactics, rotating the strike effectively.
“It's been tough out there, but we’ve got to keep our heads up and find ways to put pressure back on them,” said Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva, noting the lack of wickets to build pressure.
Earlier, on Day 1, it was Dinesh Chandimal, who top-scored for Sri Lanka with 74 runs, and Kusal Mendis with his unbeaten 59, who had provided some resistance against the Australian bowlers. Despite their efforts, Australia's Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc were instrumental, each taking three wickets and decimatively hammering the Sri Lankan tail-end.
With just one wicket remaining for Sri Lanka to finish their first innings, pressure loomed large over them. Australia will aim to dismantle the last of the Sri Lankan batting line-up quickly and strengthen their significant lead built on the backs of Smith and Carey. The momentum strongly favors the visitors as the match progresses, setting the stage for what could be another successful outing.
The Australian dressing room buzzed with optimism as players congratulated Carey and Smith, both recognizing the hard work they had put forth on this challenging pitch.
Tomorrow, Australia will look to maximize their scoring potential and push their lead well past the 200-run mark, leveraging their current advantage, as Sri Lanka prepares for what will undoubtedly be another testing day of cricket.