It was a double delight for skipper Steve Smith with Australia besting Sri Lanka by nine wickets in four days of the second test to clinch the series 2-nil and him becoming the first Australian—and fifth cricketer—to take 200 outfield catches.
Centuries from Smith and Alex Carey helped Australia with a solid footing of 414 against Sri Lanka's first-innings score of 257. What followed was the punishment of the Sri Lankans in the second innings with the visitors bowling the hosts out for 231.
Australia's spin magic continued with Matthew Kuhnemann (16) and Nathan Lyon (14) claiming a combined 30 of the 40 Sri Lankan wickets in the series.
Australia's Marnus Labuschagne (L) runs between the wickets as Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva jumps to field the ball | AFP
Despite Prabath Jayasuriya taking the lone wicket of opener Travis Head, the Australian side comfortably chased down a measly 75 with Usman Khawaja (27) and Marnus Labuschagne (26). With that, the Australian side won the Warne–Muralidaran Trophy starting the 2025 season strong.
Scores at a glance: Australia vs Sri Lanka, second test
Sri Lanka 1st innings
Pathum Nissanka b Nathan Lyon 11
Dimuth Karunaratne b Nathan Lyon 36
Dinesh Chandimal st Alex Carey b Matthew Kuhnemann 74
Angelo Mathews c Alex Carey b Nathan Lyon 1
Kamindu Mendis c Steve Smith b Travis Head 13
Dhananjaya de Silva c Beau Webster b Mitchell Starc 0
Kusal Mendis* Not Out 85
Ramesh Mendis c Alex Carey b Mitchell Starc 28
Prabath Jayasuriya c Steve Smith b Mitchell Starc 0
Nishan Peiris b Matthew Kuhnemann 0
Lahiru Kumara c Beau Webster b Matthew Kuhnemann 2
Extras 4b 1lb 2nb 0pen 0w 7
Total (97.4 overs) 257 all out
Australia 1st innings
Travis Head c Dhananjaya de Silva b Nishan Peiris 21
Usman Khawaja lbw Nishan Peiris 36
Marnus Labuschagne lbw Prabath Jayasuriya 4
Steve Smith c Kusal Mendis b Prabath Jayasuriya 131
Alex Carey b Prabath Jayasuriya 156
Josh Inglis b Prabath Jayasuriya 0
Beau Webster b Ramesh Mendis 31
Cooper Connolly c Ramesh Mendis b Nishan Peiris 4
Mitchell Starc b Prabath Jayasuriya 8
Nathan Lyon* Not Out 2
Matthew Kuhnemann b Ramesh Mendis 6
Extras 6b 9lb 0nb 0pen 0w 15
Total (106.4 overs) 414 all out
Sri Lanka 2nd innings
Pathum Nissanka b Matthew Kuhnemann 8
Dimuth Karunaratne c Alex Carey b Matthew Kuhnemann 14
Dinesh Chandimal c Beau Webster b Nathan Lyon 12
Angelo Mathews c Beau Webster b Nathan Lyon 76
Kamindu Mendis c Usman Khawaja b Nathan Lyon 14
Dhananjaya de Silva c Steve Smith b Matthew Kuhnemann 23
Kusal Mendis c Steve Smith b Nathan Lyon 50
Ramesh Mendis c Travis Head b Beau Webster 0
Prabath Jayasuriya c Steve Smith b Matthew Kuhnemann 6
Lahiru Kumara b Beau Webster 9
Nishan Peiris* Not Out 4
Extras 4b 5lb 1nb 5pen 0w 15
Total (68.1 overs) 231 all out
Australia 2nd innings
Usman Khawaja* Not Out 27
Travis Head c Kusal Mendis b Prabath Jayasuriya 20
Marnus Labuschagne* Not Out 26
Extras 2b 0lb 0nb 0pen 0w 2
Total (17.4 overs) 75-1
