Australia in Sri Lanka: Steve Smith hits 36th Test century as tourists dominate
2025-02-07
Category: sports

Second Test, Galle (day two of five):Sri Lanka 257: K Mendis 85*; Starc 3-37, Kuhnemann 3-63, Lyon 3-99Australia 330-3: Carey 139*, Smith 120*; Peiris 2-70Australia lead by 73 runsScorecard
Steve Smith hit his 36th Test century as Australia dominated Sri Lanka on day two of the second Test in Galle. Smith was 120 not out as Australia reached 330-3 at stumps, a first-innings lead of 73.The right-hander joins England's Joe Root and India's Rahul Dravid on 36 Test centuries - the fifth most in history. The 35-year-old reached the landmark in 206 innings, the second fastest behind compatriot Ricky Ponting, who made 36 centuries in 200 innings. Smith's latest hundred came up off 191 balls with nine fours and one six.He survived an lbw review first ball, with the technology showing the ball was missing leg stump, and overturned another lbw call on 23 as he was outside the line of off stump. 
Smith now has four hundreds in his past five Tests after a poor run of form saw him go 12 Tests and 23 innings without one.He was outscored by wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who made his second Test century off 118 balls and was unbeaten on 139 at stumps as the pair shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 239.That came after off-spinner Nishan Peiris removed Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne to leave Australia 37-2 before Smith shared 54 with Usman Khawaja (36) for the third wicket. Earlier, Sri Lanka added 28 to their overnight 229-9 before spinner Matthew Kuhnemann had Lahiru Kumara caught by Beau Webster. That gave Kuhnemann his third wicket and left Kusal Mendis stranded on 85 not out.Australia lead the two-Test series 1-0 after an innings-and-242-run win in the first game.