Sri Lanka v Australia second Test day three: Smith, Carey power visitors to strong position

Brettig from Galle

By Daniel Brettig

Steve Smith is infamous for not sleeping much during a Test match, but after batting for more than five hours yesterday the tourists will hope he walks to the middle refreshed this morning to continue building the lead.

Alex Carey, too, will want to carry on. He is only six runs short of passing Adam Gilchrist’s mark for the highest score by an Australian wicketkeeper in south Asia – he made 144 twice, against Sri Lanka in 2004 and against Bangladesh in 2006.

First over

Here we go with the first over in Galle of day three with Prabath Jayasuriya bowling to Steve Smith.

Ball one: Forward defensive shot from Smith

Ball two: Nice delivery and Smith totally misses it

Ball three: Hits Smith on the pad, but pitching off.

Ball four: Again defence, sensibly settling in.

Ball five: He’s off, stroking the ball for four with ease through square leg.

Ball six: Dot

Australia 3-334 (after one over)

Congratulations to the Cummins family!

Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins and his wife Becky have welcomed their second child, a baby girl named Edith.

“She’s here,” Becky Cummins posted on Instagram with a picture of the newborn being cuddled by her mum. “Our beautiful baby girl, Edi … Words can’t describe how overjoyed & full of love we feel right now.”

The Galle pitch

We have had our first look at the Galle wicket and the groundskeeper’s mower is kicking up a mass of dust, there’s not a lot of grass in sight.

Sri Lanka’s only chance of keeping this game competitive is if they use this new ball well on this bone-dry wicket, but Smith and Carey will have quite a lot to say about that very soon.

The fans perched precariously on Galle Fort will be desperate for a contest.

Alex Carey of Australia celebrates after scoring a century during day two of the Second Test match in the series between Sri Lanka and Australia at Galle International Stadium Credit: Getty Images

Exclusive interview with Sam Konstas

Some great work here from our man in Galle, Daniel Brettig, who interviewed young gun Sam Konstas on everything from shaving his mo, mimicking Jimmy Anderson in the backyard to reflecting on the summer that was against India.

What a talent Konstas is, and, incredibly, just 19 years old.

Sam Konstas of New South Wales looks on during the Sheffield Shield match between Queensland and New South Wales at The GabbaCredit: Getty Images

Some stats

Steve Smith is pushing higher in a small exclusive club of Australian batsmen who have hit over 10,000 runs.

Ricky Ponting managed 13,378, Allan Border 11,174 and Steve Waugh on 10,927, Smith is next up on 10,140 and it looks like he will catch Waugh, especially on the basis of this performance in Sri Lanka.

There are certainly more runs to be made from Smith and he will relish the opportunity to test himself on day three in Galle.

Alex Carey and Steve Smith of Australia leave the field at the end of the days play on day two of the Second Test match in the series between Sri Lanka and Australia at Galle International StadiumCredit: Getty Images

Would you keep Marnus Labuschagne for the WTC Final in June?

Two kings against spin

Welcome to day three

By Jonathan Drennan

Welcome back to day three!

I am hugging the air conditioning unit in Sydney absolutely delighted that I am not out in the hot Galle sun as a Sri Lanka spinner trying to get Steve Smith out.

What can we say about Smith? On a pitch that is famous for turning, he put on 120 glorious runs and it looks like there is more to come. The chocolate would have tasted good last night and he has eighty more runs before he gets another one. Don’t bet against it.

While Smith rightfully took the headlines, Alex Carey is on 139 from just 156 balls and steadied the ship brilliantly with Australia at 3-91, with Marnus Labuschagne out for a disappointing LBW for just four runs.

Australia will really hope that they can ramp up the total early on a surface which will deteriorate as time goes on. The know they can really put this game out of reach for Sri Lanka.

Here we go.