SL on the ropes after Aussie blitz

The newly-built shooting range at the Maharana Pratap Sports College, reverberated with pellets hitting the target as the country's top shooters engaged in intense action at the 38th National Games here.

- Agence France-Presse

[e-mail] GALLE: Australia had Sri Lanka three down after opener Usman Khawaja's first double century and a ton on debut by Josh Inglis helped the tourists to 654/6 declared in the first match on Thursday.

Sri Lanka were 44/3 by stumps on Day 2 here with senior batsmen Dinesh Chandimal, on 9, and Kamindu Mendis, on 13, on guard until rain stopped play.

Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann struck first to have Oshada Fernando lbw and soon pace spearhead Mitchell Starc got Dimuth Karunaratne caught at gully. Both batsmen made 7.

Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon then sent back former skipper Angelo Mathews out for 8 with Travis Head taking a diving catch at short leg.

Khawaja's 266-run third-wicket partnership with Steve Smith, who hit 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs, stood out after Australia elected to bat at the start of the two-match series.

It was the first time the tourists had breached the 600-run mark in Sri Lanka, surpassing their previous Asian high of 617, posted in Pakistan in 1980.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey was unbeaten on 46 with Starc on 19 when Smith declared the first innings in the final session.

Inglis made it count when he walked in after Smith departed on 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs. He made 102 and with Khawaja kept up the batting surge in a 146-run stand to tire out the opposition attack.

"Hasn't sunk in yet," Inglis told reporters. "Nice to get the team into a very strong position. Obviously having played in the subcontinent helps. The training camp in Dubai was really key. We were able to work out our individual plans. If you see all our guys had clear plans."

Brief scores: Australia 654/6d (U Khawaja 232, S Smith 141, J Inglis 102) vs Sri Lanka 44/3 (N Lyon 1/7).

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