Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
41 | 1 Run 1 Wkt | AUS: 151/10

  • Alex Carey16 (28b)
  • Prabath Jayasuriya16-2-59-6
  • Maheesh Theekshana5-0-28-2

And on that note, it's been a pleasure covering this game, cheers for all the company. For myself, Alex Malcolm, Andrew McGlashan and Andrew Fidel Fernando, it's goodbye for now!

manoj: "Impact of this Test series and this Loss on WTC points table???" Here you go.

Sneh: "Hello Sampath, what are the best bowling figures for match on debut?" Here's the list.

Chris : "Such a pity there's not a deciding third test, this game would have set the series up perfectly!"

shashank: "Can we please have a rule that a minimum of 3 tests have to be played to constitute a series!! 2 tests is just cruel!"

Mike: "Amazing that Dickwella only had 2 dismissals in the match - both stumped."

Damith: "This was the right result for the tour. Australia win the T20s, Sri Lanka the ODIs and a drawn test series. Australia should realize that they were part of a historical tour when the country is struggling and fighting for its rights, the two teams provided much needed entertainment to keep the people going. This Australian cricket team will be dearly remembered by the people of Sri Lanka. "

Shashank: "Very gracious of Cummins to thank the fans and the SL public. Very worthy considering the conditions the country finds itself in. I know a lot of other countries who may have skipped the entire mid way or entirely purely because of the political crisis and its effects outside the ground. "

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne: I think as I said earlier, in the first match we couldn't do much. Even then I said if we could've put up a bigger score in the first innings we could have had a great match. That's what we focused on. So we tried to get a big one here, and all the batters put their hands up and batted really well. We knew it would be a good wicket for a couple of days, that's why I asked the batters to get the maximum out of that. Chandimal's 200 was great, and the other's supported him really well. The first Test it spun a lot, but here we just focused on our basics. We would've liked to have won the series 2-0, but the boys bounced back really well. I knew from beginning Prabath would be the key and he did really well for us. This is also a confidence booster for the Pakistan series, we just what to play to our potential."

Australian captain Pat Cummins: "I think there are few things [we would have done differently]. Probably got ourselves in a position where 400-plus was achievable in the first innings and didn't someone to with Smithy down the other end. And yeah, had plenty of chases over the last couple of days and didn't quite grab them. Unfortunately Sri Lanka were too good. Absolutely [the youngsters have learnt a lot on this tour], these are the tours where you learn heaps. We learned heaps during our win last week, but unfortunately it's through a loss this time. But I thought a lot of the guys, either on their first tour here or who were coming back, found a method that worked - though unfortunately it didn't work out today. As a batting and bowling group I think we can go away pretty pleased. [To the fans] Thank you for the lovely hosts you've been to our team throughout our tour here. We felt it straight away on the streets, in crowd even - we've never felt that before, a whole stadium here cheering for us. We've had a great five weeks here, absolutely loved it and can't wait to get back."

Dinesh Chandimal is the Man of the Series: "I'm over the moon. Especially if you're performing well and the team is winning, that is a really good feeling. I'm really happy with how I played, especially in Galle, which can be a tough track to bat on. I didn't have any specific plans, I just wanted to be proactive against the spinners and at the same time rotate the strike. That's what I did, and finally it worked. We all know it was a tough wicket in the first game, and when I saw the wicket in this game on day one I thought the pitch would be good in the first three days. I just wanted to capitalise in that time. After that I thought, if we can get more than a 100 lead, we could put them under pressure. It is a really good feeling, thanks to my family who were always behind me. I've been in the side, not in the side, but your family and wife is always there. I also want to thank my teammates, who've always been there as well as my support staff and the fans."

Prabath Jayasuriya is named Man of the Match: "I'm really happy with my performance, I've worked really hard over the past few days and this is the result. I played in some A team games, and I was ready to give 100% for the side whenever I was called upon."

Navneet: "Last time I check Australia were 4 down, now all out. Extraordinary performance from Jayasuriya. Congratulations to Sri Lanka"

Andrew P: "I think Sri Lanka just did dissect Australia on the field for scientific purposes @Stephen B!!"

Don't go anywhere yet though, the presentation ceremony will take place momentarily.

4.55pm What a win then by Sri Lanka, one that looked a long way away when Australia won the toss, took first lease of the wicket, and Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne racked up a century apiece. In the end they've won by an innings and 39 runs - the first time Australia have lost by an innings after scoring 350-plus in the first innings of a Test. The win was built on a masterful bowling performance by debutant Prabath Jayasuriya - only drafted into the squad due to a spate of Covid cases - who picked up match figures of 12 for 177, the fourth best bowling figures on Test debut in the history of the game. That he picked up half of those on a first innings wicket that wasn't anywhere near as helpful to the spinners as it was in the first Test spoke volumes towards the control he exerted on the ball. Then it was the Sri Lankan batters' turn, with no less than five Lankan batters racking up scores of 50-plus. It was Dinesh Chandimal however that converted it into a big one, to bring up his first Test double hundred. His was the innings that really took the game away from the visitors, before Jayasuriya and co. wrapped up the Aussie second innings in a little under two sessions.

40.6
W
Jayasuriya to Swepson, OUT, And it's an absolute ripper to take the top of off! Jayasuriya has six to match his six in the first innings, and Sri Lanka have levelled the series in grand style! This pitches on off, and like the few that preceded it spits away from the outside edge. Swepson stays back and defends, but he doesn't get close as his stumps are rattled. Jayasuriya takes the match ball and a stump for his efforts, as he beams at the camera. What a couple of days this has been for Sri Lanka!

MJ Swepson b Jayasuriya 0 (4m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

40.5
0
Jayasuriya to Swepson, no run, back of a length, defended towards second slip
40.4
0
Jayasuriya to Swepson, no run, another one that just does enough to beat the outside edge. The fat lady is tuning up
40.3
0
Jayasuriya to Swepson, no run, tossed up on off, dips on the batter as this spins sharply past the attempted drive
40.2
0
Jayasuriya to Swepson, no run, good length on the stumps, stays back and awkwardly keeps this out

StephenB: "Madushka, I already had this conversation with Alex in the first hour of play today: DISSECT does not mean the same as BISECT. You do not want your cricketers to be chopped up on the field in search of scientific breakthroughs!!" Haha, what are the odds? Apologies for the error, and it has been rectified.

40.1
1
Jayasuriya to Carey, 1 run, swept from a length towards deep backward square leg

END OF OVER:
40 | 7 Runs 2 Wkts | AUS: 150/9

  • Alex Carey15 (27b)
  • Maheesh Theekshana5-0-28-2
  • Prabath Jayasuriya15-2-58-5
39.6
W
Theekshana to Lyon, OUT, And another one goes! This looks far more plumb, as Lyon goes for the sweep and is struck flush on the front pad. The finger comes up far quicker this time. It's reviewed but more in hope than anything else, I suspect. And the replays confirm, three reds as it pitches on middle and straightens.

NM Lyon lbw b Theekshana 5 (4m 3b 1x4 0x6) SR: 166.66

39.5
1
Theekshana to Carey, 1 run, good length on the stumps, nudged on the onside for a quick single
39.4
1
Theekshana to Lyon, 1 run, good length, and again swept, this time towards square leg
39.3
4
Theekshana to Lyon, FOUR, Sweep first up and he bisects the two men in the deep with perfection! There's a man at square leg and fine leg, but Lyon finds the gap.

Nathan Lyon is the new batter.

39.2
W
Theekshana to Cummins, OUT, oh that's very close, and it's a huge appeal. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena thinks long and hard and eventually raises the finger for LBW. Is this pitching outside leg though? Cummins certainly thinks so and has taken the review. Oh and this was the finest of margins, but Cummins has to go. Pitched in line, but both impact and wickets hitting were on umpire's call.

PJ Cummins lbw b Theekshana 16 (25m 18b 1x4 1x6) SR: 88.88

39.1
1
Theekshana to Carey, 1 run, short one to start, pulled towards deep square leg easily

Theekshana into the attack now.

Praveen: "The MOM award is tricky this way. Most of the time its the batsmen who get it for scoring 150 in a match where teams score 650 and 500 but if a bowler really steps up like Jayasuriya here even if a batsman performs the best that he could have given the opportunity he wont stand a chance. Even 300 from chandimal wouldn't have sufficed here."

END OF OVER:
39 | 3 Runs | AUS: 143/7

  • Pat Cummins16 (17b)
  • Alex Carey13 (25b)
  • Prabath Jayasuriya15-2-58-5
  • Ramesh Mendis15-2-47-2
38.6
0
Jayasuriya to Cummins, no run, good length outside off, left alone
38.5
1
Jayasuriya to Carey, 1 run, good length on the stumps, reverse swept to the square third man
38.4
0
Jayasuriya to Carey, no run, tossed up on middle and off, and straightening. Pushed back to the bowler on the front foot.

around the wicket to the left-handed Carey now.

38.3
1
Jayasuriya to Cummins, 1 run, sweep now by Cummins, down to deep backward square leg
38.2
1
Jayasuriya to Carey, 1 run, conventional sweep now towards deep backward square leg
38.1
0
Jayasuriya to Carey, no run, Reverse sweep, struck into the ground towards first slip

Our stats guy Sampath reliably informs that Australia have never lost a Test by an innings after scoring 350-plus in the first innings. 50 runs more to keep it that way.

END OF OVER:
38 | 2 Runs | AUS: 140/7

  • Pat Cummins15 (15b)
  • Alex Carey11 (21b)
  • Ramesh Mendis15-2-47-2
  • Prabath Jayasuriya14-2-55-5
37.6
0
RTM Mendis to Cummins, no run, good length, straighter on off. Another solid forward defence from the Aussie skipper.
37.5
0
RTM Mendis to Cummins, no run, good length wide of off, Cummins puts in a good stride and defends
37.4
0
RTM Mendis to Cummins, no run, loose delivery down leg goes unpunished. Cummins looks to pul but misses out.

Australia 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st49UT KhawajaDA Warner
2nd10UT KhawajaM Labuschagne
3rd0SPD SmithM Labuschagne
4th15TM HeadM Labuschagne
5th38M LabuschagneC Green
6th5AT CareyC Green
7th0MA StarcAT Carey
8th27AT CareyPJ Cummins
9th6NM LyonAT Carey
10th1AT CareyMJ Swepson