Cameron Green has helped bat Australia to the safety of a 101-run lead in the first Test in Galle, after a morning of chaos caused by heavy rain and wild winds.
Green’s 77 was the highlight of day two for Australia, before they went to stumps at 8-313 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 212 as bad light stopped play.
It came after more than two hours of play were lost to a morning storm that caused the roof of a makeshift grandstand in Galle’s International Stadium to collapse.
Sightscreens were also torn down and a glass panel in a marquee smashed, as gusts of more than 60km/h thrashed the coastal city.
Fortunately no one was injured and ground staff placed tyres over covers in a bid to keep them down across the outfield and pitch.
When play finally began, it was Green who did the damage to the hosts.
Brought to the wicket after Travis Head went for six in the first over, the West Australian used his long legs to advantage to nullify the impact of the spinners.
Three of his six boundaries came on the sweep shot, while he also cover drove nicely in a knock that controlled the tempo of the game.
Cameron Green of Australia is congratulated by Alex Carey after reaching his half-century. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)
It came as Australia’s attempts to go after Sri Lanka’s tweakers clearly paid dividends with only Ramesh Mendis (4-107) having any sustained success.
The visitors have scored at a run-rate of 4.53 in their first innings, with the hosts’ spinners sending down 61 overs without bowling one maiden.
By comparison, Australia’s run-rate sat at 2.83 back in 2016 when Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera dictated terms and spun them into a web.
Usman Khawaja had also made a clear effort to unsettle the bowlers in his 71, as he passed 50 for the seventh time in his past 10 innings since his Test recall on Thursday.
After steadying the ship late on day one, the opener continued to employ his tactic of reverse sweeping to go after runs against the spinners.
He ultimately became Jeffrey Vandersay’s first Test wicket, edging the legspinner to short leg.
Alex Carey struck a neat 45 as he played well square of the wicket, while some late power-hitting from Pat Cummins (26 not out off 16 balls featuring three colossal sixes) rammed home Australia’s advantage.
A first-innings lead in Sri Lanka is typically crucial, with teams from outside the sub-continent having won in the country just once after giving up a deficit.
Clear as mud
Guest
well done, your getting inside Trav's Head did the trick!
Clear as mud
Guest
and Holding 24 wickets in a 3 test series with 4 5-fors, average 14, just ridiculous!
Clear as mud
Guest
50 balls that was also agree about his phlegmaticking. he's having a bit of luck, but smart players get luck.
Clear as mud
Guest
yes he was "cutting" 6's that day. the faster they bowled.... Roo played just about my fave innings i was present at, that 45 against the Windies in early 82. school holidays, starting Year 12, up on the Hill, he and Border counter-attacking and putting on 70 in an hour. Then Holding finally getting the yorker through.Viv then clouting Alderman as they went hard to set up a target, but holing out. Brilliant day's cricket!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately, we continue to try to turn him into a white ball player. Everyone is better served if he just plays Test and Shield cricket. Let him get his millions in international giggle leagues, but not clogging an Oz spot. His lack of centuries is more concerning than Green's.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Great to see Green play so well, and Khawaja again. But I wouldn’t get too carried away if we do well here. This is a very ordinary and inexperienced Sri Lankan spin attack compared with previous ones with the likes of Herath and Murali.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Definitely.
Clear as mud
Guest
ohmilord we are in agreement. i will put last week down to a mutual glitch! agree re Smith. has never really recovered that pizzazz he had in those ODIers against India in late 2020.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
He'll be captain one day and then he can bat where he wants!
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Spot on muddy. Kimmy was a real 80s man. Roo loved going over the top......of the slips. Wound up the windies no end. Poor old Watto the First never had the luck he deserved.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Smith might be the next under pressure. That gobful he gave Ussie for what was a silly attempt at a run is suggesting a muddled mind.
boes
Roar Pro
Green is so calm at the crease and bats responsibly, definitely within himself. He can be seriously destructive if need be. He's done a great job at number 6, but could end up a number 4. At the moment his bowling is a bonus but 16 wickets @30ish in 12 tests isn't a bad start either.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Don't think it's much of a monkey.
Clear as mud
Guest
qagree re Waugh, it seemed obvious to me he was going to go ballistic in england, maybe not that ballistic. but if he could stare down the Windies in Perth.... --- i had a whole series on Kim Hughes and the Hateful Eighties Headingly. The stolen Centenary Test double. Sarfraz. the lone hand in his first dig in Pakistan. the rearguard in India with Border when we went 2-0 down. The 84 in Adelaide against the Windies when Garner ran through us and we just failed to win the Frank. and the runout calamity in Adelaide in the Ashes, although that one had a happy ending i guess the moral is if you get into the 80s and get out you make it just that bit harder to win or save a test. very good innings, but greatness was so close? --- as for others: Roo Yardley going postal in the Windies in 77-8. magnificent stuff. Lawry's 60* out of 116 in Sydney in 70-1. And Beatle Watson's magnificent 50 on debut. greatest innings ever.
Ouch
Roar Rookie
flipping between Manly doing over the Storm and great batting from Green, Carey and Cummins made for a great evenings viewing.
Clear as mud
Guest
so is Bradman! interestingly, if he bats every time this series and averages 26, his average will "only" be 50 at the end of the series. and on a massive downwards trajectory. yet, bizarrely, still number 2 in the rankings. ahem...
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Steve did play some great innings prior to his breakthrough, loved a 70 or 3. It's a pity 100s are the focus. I'm sure someone will knock together an article on great innings under 100. My faves are S R Waugh's back to back 90s vs WI in 88/89. And Chuck Fleetwood-Smith 5* while he helpled put on 77 with Stan McCabe in 28 minutes. For the enemies; Trescothick's audacious 91 in that test. And in that other test, Tavare's other 89, at Melbourne. Astonishing.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Considering he's still averaging above 50 in test Cricket he's probably safe at the moment.... But he would want find some form
Clear as mud
Guest
he has a bit of the Steve Waugh 70's going on. probably the best thing is that his lowest score is 23 in his last 7 digs, 5 of those he's batted 100+ balls etc. the kid is doing brilliantly given the need to train his bowling as well, and fielding, and being a giant - that takes work too
Clear as mud
Guest
i liked khawaja's tempo. he was going at 72 for his first 50, notwithstanding Warner's blitz and Marnus' showy. But he then steadided as wickets fell. without ever getting bogged down. meanwhile Carey and Green turned it on. great team batting all rpound, cash in while the wicket's at its best, put the pressure back on the bowlers etc etc