Left Arm Around

Australia snaffled 15 wickets in a day to win by an innings and 242 runs and inflict Sri Lanka’s heaviest ever Test defeat.

Rain curtailed the majority of play on day three, though Australia would not be denied a well-deserved triumph.

The visitors began the day by removing the final five wickets for only nine runs to dismiss Sri Lanka for 165, before stand-in skipper Steve Smith took the attacking follow-on option.

Dinesh Chandimal top scored with 72, but no other batter passed 22.

Sri Lanka’s middle order then showed some resistance in their second dig as they looked to play with freedom- with six batters passing 30, but none were able to kick on and hit a big hundred that was certainly required.

Spinners Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann took four apiece to secure victory, while lone pacer Mitchell Starc and third spinner Todd Murphy took the opening wickets of Oshada Fernando and Dimuth Karunaratne to set the tone.

The hosts were finally dismissed for 247 from 54.3 overs, despite a rapid 53 from number nine Jeffrey Vandersay.

Kuhnemann, 28, starred with match figures of 9/149 in his first Test since March 2023.

A haul of 5/63 in the first innings was his second fifer from four Test matches to date.

The second and final Test of the series begins at the Galle International Stadium on February 6.