Australia sends Sri Lanka crashing to record loss in first-Test hiding

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Sri Lanka has crashed to the heaviest loss in its 43-year Test history as Australia wrapped up a massive innings victory in the first Test.

Matthew Kuhnemann finished with a nine-wicket haul for the match after recording figures of 4-86 in the second innings after taking 5-63 in the first as Australia won by an innings and 242 runs.

Australia retained the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy by taking a 1-0 lead with just one game left — the second Test starts on Thursday at the same venue, with the tourists trying to win their first Test series in Sri Lanka since 2011.

If the rapid finale to the first Test is anything to go by Steve Smith’s side is odds on to pull off a sweep.

After player of the match Usman Khawaja’s double century — aided by tons from Smith and debutant Josh Inglis — left Sri Lanka 654 runs in arrears, the hosts started day four five wickets down in their first innings.

A collapse of 5-9 in the opening hour allowed Smith to enforce the follow-on and Australia had Sri Lanka three wickets down when a review found first-innings top-scorer Dinesh Chandimal gloved Nathan Lyon to bat-pad on the stroke of lunch.

Australia fielder Travis Head claps and shouts in front of dismissed Sri Lanka batter Dinesh Chandimal.

Dinesh Chandimal put up resistance but batting with a vulnerable tail clearly was his undoing in the first innings. (Getty Images: Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Wickets fell in clumps through the afternoon, with forecast rain never arriving to save Sri Lanka’s blushes and at least take the match into a fifth day.

Numbers three through seven in the Sri Lankan batting order all passed 30 runs, but fell soon after, and the only real frustration of the day for Australia came with one wicket needed for victory.

Second-game number nine Jeffrey Vandersay top-scored for the second innings with a maiden Test half-century but he skied an attempted slog one ball after reaching the milestone.

As Mitchell Starc took the catch to end the Test in Galle, wife and Australia captain Alyssa Healy was already celebrating a Women’s Ashes whitewash 8,000 kilometres away, with their Test match at the MCG also ending in an innings victory barely 30 seconds earlier.

Look back at day four of the first Test in our live blog below and check out the full ScoreCentre.

Key Events

  1. 10h ago10 hours agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:44am

  2. 10h ago10 hours agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:44am

  3. 10h ago10 hours agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:16am

16h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 3:15am

First Test live: Sri Lanka vs Australia in Galle

By Chris De Silva

9h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 10:18am

We’ll sign off there

By Jon Healy

Australia players on the field after beating Sri Lanka in a Test in Galle.
(Getty)

What a massive win for Australia to retain the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy with a game remaining.

It’s a comprehensive victory, but that doesn’t mean it was a foregone conclusion coming into this match, because it never is for Australia in sub-continental conditions.

Nor can the team, hunting its first series win in Sri Lanka since 2011, rest on its laurels heading into the second game.

We’ll be back on Thursday to bring you all the live action from that second Test.

Until then, on behalf of Chris De Silva and myself, thanks for sticking around and we’ll see you next time!

9h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 10:08am

Steve Smith not giving anything away on Aussie approach in second Test

By Jon Healy

Steve Smith came into this match with three spinners and seamer Mitchell Starc.

Starc took valuable top-order wickets, as is his wont, and the spinners rotated in short bursts.

He says those short bursts were particularly useful in keeping players fresh, meaning they didn’t really have to go to part-timers Travis Head and Beau Webster. But he says they’ll look at the surface for the second Test at this same venue to see if they want to go with the same combination or add another fast bowler.

“On this occasion three spinners all worked nicely together.”

And, on a personal note, Smith got a century and also passed 10,000 Test runs.

“I never thought I’d score this many runs. To play one Test for Australia was a dream. It was nice to contribute in this Test with 100.”

9h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 10:04am

Sri Lanka captain wants more application from his batters

By Jon Healy

Dhananjaya de Silva says the way Jeffrey Vandersay batted should show the way forward for the batters.

“The wicket was not that hard. Other batters have got to put their hands up.”

And he acknowledges losing the toss put them on the back foot, but they didn’t help themselves.

“We had our chances in terms of reviews and four catches were dropped.”

9h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 10:00am

Usman Khawaja is player of the match

By Jon Healy

Yeah, tough to argue with 232 runs in the first innings.

Usman Khawaja with the player of the match trophy.
(Getty)

The 38-year-old gets himself US$2,000, a trophy and a solar power generator. Not sure if that will fit in his checked baggage.

“This is my fifth trip to Sri Lanka. I’ve made all the mistakes that I know I can make. I know there’s certain ways I’m happy to get out and certain ways I’m not, so I just play around that.”

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:58am

The winning moment

By Jon Healy

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Give Jeffrey Vandersay his flowers. The number nine, in his second game smacked 53 off 46 balls after the rest of the batting line-up fell to bits.

He was entitled to go for a third straight slog, even if it didn’t come off.

It’s a nice touch that Mitchell Starc took the catch to end the match almost in the same second wife Alyssa Healy won the Women’s Ashes Test for a clean sweep in Melbourne.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:44am

Sri Lanka is all out for 247, Australia wins by an innings and 242 runs

By Jon Healy

Australian players shake hands after beating Sri Lanka in a Test.
(Getty)

One ball after Australia’s women wrap up a 16-0 Ashes win in Melbourne, Jeffrey Vandersay holes out and Australia’s men retain the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy with an enormous victory, handing Sri Lanka its biggest-ever Test loss.

It was a comprehensive performance by Australia in Galle, aided by winning the toss. Batting first on this deck proved absolutely vital to the victory, allowing Usman Khawaja (232), Steve Smith (141), Josh Inglis (102) and Travis Head (57 off 40) to set up this victory with that enormous first-innings 654.

The bowlers more than backed them up with Mitchell Starc taking important wickets in the opening burst of both innings, before the spinners stepped in.

Matthew Kuhnemann was the best of the bunch with 9-149, while Nathan Lyon took 7-135.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:44am

FIFTY FOR JEFFREY VANDERSAY!

By Jon Healy

What a knock for this second-gamer.

It won’t affect the result, but it will give him confidence.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:43am

55th over – Matt Kuhnemann looking for his ninth wicket for the match

By Jon Healy

BOOM! Jeffrey Vandersay goes over the top and that’s four more. He’s within reach of 50.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:40am

54th over – Todd Murphy returns, replacing Mitchell Starc after just one over

By Jon Healy

Vandersay pushes a single to cover and Asitha will have to make it through three more balls.

Too full from Murphy and Asitha turns off his toes.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:37am

53rd over – How quickly can Alana King get to Galle?

By Jon Healy

Nathan Lyon bowls and Vandersay pushes through mid-off. All the fielders are around the bat, so the ball looks destined for the rope, but Josh Inglis makes a diving save on the boundary.

But the batters run four anyway.

Another push through cover and Asitha takes the strike for the last three balls of Lyon’s over.

Asitha keeps the last ball out.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:31am

52nd over – Here comes Mitchell Starc

By Jon Healy

Can the tail-enders resist the left-arm pace of Mitchell Starc, even with an old ball on a slow pitch? This is a very different prospect than slog sweeping spinners.

Jeffrey Vandersay has, wisely, called for an armguard.

Starc is starting around the wicket to the right-handed Vandersay. Three slips in place, plus a short leg.

Second ball and Starc bangs in the short ball. But it’s pretty well played by Jeff.

He gets a fuller one outside off and just punches it through cover. A lovely stroke. Immense respect for this second-Test leggie.

Smith brings the field up to prevent the single in the last two balls. Starc bounces and is lucky not to be called for a wide.

Vandersay farms the strike! Awful luck for Australia as he whips off the stumps and Travis Head’s deflection at mid-wicket wrong-foots Matt Kuhnemann, and Vandersay sneaks through for a single.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:28am

51st over – Nathan Lyon bowling his 18th

By Jon Healy

Bang! Six of the best for Asitha Fernando with a slog sweep. This pair are showing the way for Sri Lanka.

Asitha’s defence looks shaky, so I understand why he’s opted to attack. He gets one high on the stickers, then Lyon skids one past the outside edge.

He makes it through.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:27am

Australia is also one wicket away in Melbourne

By Jon Healy

Crack open an ice cold tab and check out the finale to the Women’s Ashes series too.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:24am

50th over – Kuhnemann to Vandersay

By Jon Healy

Vandersay cuts a wide one away for a couple of runs.

SIX!! Jeffrey Vandersay slaps straight back over Kuhnemann’s head. Glorious stroke. What’s he doing batting behind Prabath Jayasuriya?

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:21am

49th over – Nathan Lyon to Jeffrey Vandersay

By Jon Healy

Here comes Lyon. Six balls at second-gamer Jeffrey Vandersay.

Boom! Vandersay launches a slog sweep over wide mid-on for four.

He’s almost popped a catch back to Lyon.

And he takes a single! Lyon gets one ball at Asitha.

And he keeps it out!

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:19am

48th over – Asitha Fernando is out there with Sri Lanka nine down

By Jon Healy

Matt Kuhnemann can finish with nine wickets and cruelly deny Nathan Lyon five if he removes Asitha in the last five balls of this over.

No such luck.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:16am

BOWLED HIM! Nishan Peiris is out and Australia needs one more wicket!

By Jon Healy

Nishan Peiris adds a duck to his 0-189 and first-innings 5, as Matthew Kuhnemann fired in a quicker one at his off stump.

He was playing for some prodigious spin, but it didn’t come and Australia is on the brink now.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:16am

48th over – Kuhnemann bowling to Nishan Peiris

By Jon Healy

Leftie vs Leftie.

10h agoSat 1 Feb 2025 at 9:12am

47th over – Nathan Lyon is going to keep bowling as he looks for this five-wicket haul

By Jon Healy

After a lean series against India, five wickets here would feel mighty nice.

Four! The reverse sweep. JEFFREY VANDERSAY.

He goes again and it’s four more! This one’s shorter, and he adjusts, sending it flying through the air.

Jeffrey Vandersay watches a reverse sweep fly away.
(Getty)