Khwaja stars as Aussies pile on pressure in Galle

First Test, Galle (day two of five):

Australia 654-6 dec: Khawaja 232, Smith 141, Inglis 102

Sri Lanka 44-3: Lyon 1-7, Starc 1-10

Sri Lanka trail by 610 runs

After two days in Galle, Australia were in complete control of the first Test against Sri Lanka with Usman Khawaja’s maiden double century and Josh Inglis’ debut century.

At the age of 38, Khawaja’s 232 made him the second-oldest Australian to make a double hundred in Test cricket, after the great Sir Don Bradman.

He extended his third-wicket partnership with Steve Smith to 266 before Smith, standing in as captain for Pat Cummins, was out for 141.

Khawaja then added another 146 with Inglis, the 29-year-old born in Leeds. Inglis’ 102 is an Australian man’s first century making his Test debut since 2015’s Adam Voges.

The tourists’ highest score in an Asian Test was 654-6, which was ultimately acceptable.

After 154 overs in the field, in which they used only four different bowlers, Sri Lanka wilted in reply.

Oshada Fernando was lbw to Matthew Kuhnemann, the left-arm spinner opening the bowling as part of a three-pronged Australian spin attack.

Dimuth Karunaratne was superbly caught by subfielder Nathan McSweeney at gully by Mitchell Starc, the tourists’ only frontline seamer.