1st Test: Lyon and Kuhnemann Lead Australia to a Dominant Innings & 242 Runs Victory Over Sri Lanka
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Synopsis
In a historic defeat, Australia clinched a commanding Test victory over Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs at the Galle Cricket Stadium. Spinners Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann were instrumental, showcasing their skills on a spinning track, leading to Sri Lanka's most significant loss in Test cricket.
Key Takeaways
- Aussies dominated with a score of 654.
- Spinners Lyon and Kuhnemann excelled, taking crucial wickets.
- Sri Lanka faced their largest Test defeat ever.
- Usman Khawaja starred with a double century.
- Australia's bowling depth proved too strong for the hosts.
Galle, Feb 1 (NationPress) Spinners Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann were instrumental in securing a commanding victory for defending WTC champions Australia, who triumphed over Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs on Day Four of the first Test at the Galle Cricket Stadium on Saturday. This defeat marked the hosts' most significant loss in Test history, eclipsing their prior record of being beaten by an innings and 239 runs by India in 2017.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Australian team, bolstered by a remarkable double century from Usman Khawaja and centuries from Steve Smith and Josh Inglis, posted a formidable score of 654 before declaring.
Taking full advantage of the subcontinent's spinning pitches, the Australian bowlers dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order. The only notable resistance came from Dinesh Chandimal, who scored 72 runs before being dismissed by veteran Lyon. Mitchell Starc (2-13), Kuhnemann (5-63), and Lyon (3-57) restricted the hosts to a mere total of 165 runs, enforcing the follow-on.
Australia maintained their firm hold, dismissing openers Oshada Fernando and Dimuth Karunaratne within the first 3.1 overs. Although Chandimal and Angelo Mathews formed a 69-run partnership for the third wicket, Chandimal fell to Lyon once again.
Kamindu Mendis (32), skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (39), and Kusal Mendis (34) attempted to stabilize the innings but struggled against the Australian spinners. A late surge from Jeffrey Vandersay with a quickfire 53 runs, featuring seven boundaries and two sixes, provided a moment of excitement for the fans before he was dismissed by Kuhnemann, concluding Sri Lanka's innings at 247.
"I thought we started the game beautifully. Travis and Usman set it up nicely. Usman was fantastic, the way he batted and applied pressure on the bowlers. Scoring 650 allowed us to bowl twice. Starc and the spinners performed exceptionally well.
"The wicket deteriorated as the match progressed. Its condition on the first day didn’t really reflect the score. It was still a bit tacky, and our batting was exceptional. The spinners worked well together, which is the beauty of having three of them; it keeps someone fresh throughout the game.
"Depending on the surface, we have some outstanding fast bowlers as well, and employing three spinners proved beneficial on this wicket. I never imagined I would score this many runs. Just playing one Test for Australia was a dream; to play 100 and score 10,000 runs feels like a dream realized," said Smith in the post-match interview.
Brief scores:
Australia 654/6 decl defeated Sri Lanka 165 and 247 all out in 54.3 overs (Jeffrey Vandersay 53, Angelo Mathews 41, Nathan Lyon 4-78, Matthew Kuhnemann 4-86) by an innings and 242 runs.
