Starc and Lyon shine as Sri Lanka battles to 229-9 on day one
GALLE: Australia’s Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon claimed three wickets each, but Kusal Mendis’ resilient half-century helped Sri Lanka reach 229-9 on day one of the second Test in Galle on Thursday.
After winning the toss, Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva chose to bat. The hosts started strongly, with Dinesh Chandimal scoring a composed 74 off 163 balls and Dimuth Karunaratne adding 36 in his 100th and final Test.
However, once the pitch began to offer turn, Lyon made an impact, triggering a collapse as Sri Lanka lost four wickets for just 34 runs. Kusal Mendis, supported by Ramesh Mendis (28), fought back with a crucial 65-run partnership that steadied the innings.
Starc returned with the new ball to remove Ramesh and Prabath Jayasuriya with consecutive deliveries, keeping Australia in command despite Sri Lanka’s resistance. Day two promises more drama as Sri Lanka looks to push past the 250-run mark.
