Australia lost both their openers in the first session of the day after electing to bat against Covid-hit Sri Lanka in the second Test in Galle on Friday.
Dimuth Karunaratne’s Sri Lanka have made four changes to their squad following the virus outbreak in three of their players. The visitors, on the other hand, are unchanged from their crushing opening win at the same venue in Galle.
The visiting team reached 99 for two at lunch on the first day, with 42-year-old Marnus Labuschagne and 13-year-old Steve Smith batting at the break in Galle.
Sri Lanka, who are trailing the two-match series 1-0, handed spinners Mahesh Thikshana, Prabhat Jayasuriya and all-rounder Kamindu Mendis their Test debuts. coronavirus Outbreak in his team.
Read also: Kovid outbreak in Sri Lanka on the eve of second Test against Australia
Mystery spinner Thekshana played a key role in the team’s 3-2 series win in the One Day Internationals. While 30-year-old Prabhat Jayasuriya has taken 234 wickets in 62 first-class matches.
But it was his lone pacer Kasun Rajita who got him an early breakthrough when he dismissed left-armer David Warner for five in the fifth over of the day.
Usman Khawaja and Labuschagne tried to rebuild by adding 55 runs for the second wicket, which was broken by off-spinner Ramesh Mendis. Ramesh cleaned Khawaja for 37 and almost dismissed Labushen for 28 but wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella missed the stumping.
Ramesh, who took four wickets in the previous match, bowled throughout the session, while Thekshana, Jayasuriya (left-handed orthodox) and Rajita were swung from one end.
Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 count rose to five on the eve of the final Test after Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay and Asitha Fernando tested positive. Angelo Mathews, who was dropped after testing positive on the third day of the first Test, returned to the squad for this Test.
Australia won the T20I series against Sri Lanka 2-1 while the hosts won the series 3-2 to capture the ODI trophy. The visitors won the first Test by 10 wickets, their first Test victory in Sri Lanka since 2011. They would like to seal the series with a win in this second and final Test of the series.
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