Joe Burns and Travis Head yesterday plundered Australia’s first centuries of the home summer in a stirring fightback as they ruthlessly exposed Sri Lanka’s inexperienced attack in the second Test in Canberra.
Australian skipper Tim Paine won the toss and put his side in on a flat track conducive to batting, a gambit that paid off after some early wobbles.
At stumps, they were a commanding 384-4 with Burns not out 172 and Kurtis Patterson, who was dropped first ball, on 25.
Photo: AFP
Head fell for 161 after a 308-run stand with Burns — Australia’s first stand over 200 since Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh achieved the feat in the third Test against England in December 2017.
Vishwa Fernando was the best of the bowlers with 3-99.
On a cool, overcast day, Burns and Head dug Australia out of a hole after they lost Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne cheaply to be in trouble at 28-3.
After weathering the storm and as the new ball lost its shine, the pair started cashing in on a Sri Lanka attack missing their top bowlers and fieldsmen who put down a host of chances.
“We knew the first hour was going to be tough, bit of grass on the wicket, so despite losing the three wickets we just knew we had to absorb the pressure,” Burns said. “We also knew they were an inexperienced bowling attack that was going to present scoring opportunities if we got through those tough periods.”
Back in the side after being overlooked for series against Pakistan and India, opener Burns survived a dropped catch on 34, but was otherwise invincible and brought up his fourth Test ton off 147 balls with a single.
His 172 surpassed his previous high score of 170 against New Zealand in 2016.
Burns’ knock was the first century for Australia since Khawaja’s 141 against Pakistan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in October last year and only the second an Australian has scored since the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney almost 13 months ago.
Head soon followed suit, reaching his maiden hundred off 155 balls, capitalizing on Dilruwan Perera dropping him on 87.
It puts the pair in prime position to be selected for the Ashes series later this year, with the Canberra Test — the first-ever in the nation’s capital — Australia’s last before their tour of England.
Pace duo Lahiru Kumara and Dushmantha Chameera picked up injuries in the first Test, with the inexperienced Kasun Rajitha and Fernando taking their place in Canberra.
In a big blow, Suranga Lakmal, their best bowler in Brisbane, was ruled out on the morning of the Test with a stiff back, with debutant Chamika Karunaratne stepping in.
The three newcomers have only five Tests of experience between them, but they initially rose to the challenge.
“First hour the ball moved a bit and our bowlers were hitting the right areas, but after the first session ... almost every over we gave a boundary. We have to stop that,” Karunaratne said.
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