Australia fail to score off record 154 balls in row as Sri Lanka triumph
Sri Lanka beat Australia by 106 runs in Pallekele after the tourists set a Test record by failing to score a run from 154 consecutive deliveries towards the end of their attempted chase for victory.
Australia’s top order failed to fire as they looked to chase down 268 to win the first Test although captain Steve Smith did offer some resistance with a gritty 55.
Sri Lanka’s march to victory was delayed by an astonishing ninth-wicket stand of four between Steve O’Keefe, who batted despite having been ruled out of the remainder of the series after injuring his hamstring on Thursday, and Peter Nevill. Facing 178 balls in total, the pair scored at an average of 0.13 runs per over.
Once debutant Dhananjaya de Silva had Nevill caught behind the end was swift, with the left-arm spinner Rangana Herath bowling O’Keefe to finish with five for 54 as he took nine wickets in the match.
The real home hero was Kusal Mendis, whose stunning 176 in the second innings paved the way for a memorable victory for Sri Lanka as they beat Australia for the first time in 17 years.
“It’s a great victory because after the first day’s play we were heading nowhere,” said captain Angelo Matthews. “Credit should go to Kusal Mendis.”
Smith admitted his side’s batting had not been up to scratch as he suffered his first defeat in his 12th match in charge of his country. “We did quite well to bowl them out for 117, but we lacked a bit of discipline in our batting,” he said. “We were in a good position to get a bigger lead than 86 [in the first innings], but didn’t get that. Kusal Mendis played an outstanding innings and took the game away from us. Two hundred and sixty-seven against quality spinners was going to be a tough task and we weren’t up to that.
“I’m proud about the way Peter Nevill and Steve O’Keefe fought hard in the end. It wasn’t easy. Some balls were skidding and some were spinning. We have got to find our plans and find ways to play in these conditions.”
The second Test in the three-match series starts in Galle on Thursday.