Australia beat Sri Lanka by an innings, Kuhnemann takes nine total

GALLE: Australia completed their dominant performance against Sri Lanka on Saturday, winning the first test of the two-match series by an innings and 242 runs. Matthew Kuhnemann shined, taking seven wickets on the day, and nine overall.

Sri Lanka first innings

It didn’t take long for Sri Lanka to lose their remaining five wickets in their first innings, as Matthew Kuhnemann completed his five wicket-haul, taking three wickets in his first spell of the day.

He began by taking the first wicket of the day, dismissing Kusal Mendis on a delivery that caught the top edge of the Sri Lankan’s bat, before Todd Murphy took the catch at square leg.

Nathan Lyon then took his second wicket of the innings, dismissing Dinesh Chandimal for an lbw, before Kuhnemann took his second of the day. It was Jayasuriya, who was sent off for a duck after he came down the track only to be stumped by Alex Carey.

Lyon took another in the very next over, ending Nishan Peiris’ innings as his delivery got an inside edge, ricocheted off the pad, and was caught by Josh Inglis at short leg. Kuhnemann ended the innings in the following over. His delivery got a leading edge and Jeffrey Vandersay was caught out by Mitchell Starc at cover.

Sri Lanka were all out of 165. Still trailing by 489 runs, Australia enforced the follow on.

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Sri Lanka second innings

Once again, Sri Lanka began to crumble early. Oshada Fernando was sent off in the third over, by Starc, who’s delivery hit the Sri Lankan opener on the front pad. Sri Lanka chose to review, but it only served to confirm the dismissal.

Dimuth Karunaratne left the field in the very next over, as he was bowled by Todd Murphy. Karunaratne didn’t attempt a shot, leaving the ball alone, which angled in and smashed into the stumps.

Dinesh Chandimal then gave a hint of stability to the innings, scoring 31 runs, but he too fell in the 18th over. Chandimal gloved a delivery from Lyon onto his pads, before it ended up in Travis Head’s hands at short leg.  

Kuhnemann got his first wicket of the second innings next, dismissing Kamindu Mendis, who dragged the ball to deep midwicket where Starc took the catch. In the next over, Lyon got another. It was Angelo Mathews who was sent off after he was caught out by Head at short leg.

Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva fell next. What looked to be a promising innings was cut short after Silva edged a delivery from Kuhnemann to cover point where Beau Webster took the catch.

Lyon took the next two, dismissing Kusal Mendis who was caught behind, and bowling Prabath Jayasuriya who missed his sweep attempt. Kuhnemann finished things off, bowling Nishan Peiris in the 48th over, before Vandersay was caught out by Starc in the 55th.

Australia won by an innings and 242 runs.

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