Tea Australia 197 for 3 (Smith 78*, Carey 49*, Peiris 2-36) trail Sri Lanka 257 (Kusal 85, Chandimal 74, Starc 3-37, Kuhnemann 3-63, Lyon 3-96) by 60 runs
But Smith was unperturbed and he shared an unbroken 106-run partnership with Carey, who batted for the first time in his Test career at No. 5 with Josh Inglis having spent a significant period off the field in Sri Lanka’s innings because of back spasms. But Carey does bat in that position for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield and he unfurled his favoured sweep to good effect as Australia gained the ascendency in the second Test.
Having passed Ricky Ponting’s record of most runs by an Australian in Asia, Smith will be eyeing his 36th Test century in the final session.
Sri Lanka’s spinners have threatened at times and occasionally produced sharp turn, but have been unable to sustain the pressure and appeared out of answers as the second session wore on.
Head rattled along at a run-a-ball until on 21 he used his feet to Peiris but was outdone by turn, and a thick edge was taken at slip.
All eyes were then on Labuschagne, who only made 20 off 50 balls in Australia’s massive 654 for 6 declared in the series-opener. Having not scored a Test century since the 2023 Ashes tour, pressure is mounting on Labuschagne with his spot for this match attracting some attention.
Smith, wearing his baggy green, had a nervous start with a big lbw shout from Jayasuriya turned down as Sri Lanka burnt a review. Having made three centuries in his last seven Test innings, Smith looked to counter the sharp spin by skipping down the pitch while Usman Khawaja unfurled the reverse sweep just like he did in his double-century last week.
They blunted the spinners as Australia reached lunch well placed at 85 for 2. The game sparked to life on resumption with Smith given out lbw by umpire Joel Wilson after a low Peiris delivery struck him under the knee roll. But Smith quickly reviewed and his confidence was justified with the ball hitting him well outside the line.
Moments later, Wilson was again quick to raise the finger but this time he was vindicated with Khawaja plumb lbw on 36 after he tried to pull Peiris only to misjudge the line and length.
But Sri Lanka’s bid for more inroads came to a halt with Smith and Carey playing with relative ease as they rotated the strike and hit the occasional boundary.
Jayasuriya was held out of the attack for some time as de Silva preferred his offspinners against left-handed Carey. But Carey’s confidence grew as he slog swept Ramesh Mendis for six, while Smith unfurled a rare reverse sweep to the boundary
Jayasuriya returned but Smith was in his groove, skipping down the pitch and whacking a six. He brought up his half-century in style with a boundary as the runs continued to flow apart from when Jayasuriya restored to a leg-stump line to Smith.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
