Having had the hosts on the mat at 26 for 5 in the morning session of Day 1, the visitors allowed the initiative to slip. Sri Lanka's fightback was as much about the fine batting performance by Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal as it was about Australia's missed chances. After the dropped catches by Mitchell Marsh and Peter Nevill on Saturday (August 14), Smith, usually a safe fielder, let two regulation catches go begging. Two logic-defying reviews on Day 1 and a bizarre caught and bowled appeal on the second day only made their frustration more evident.
Intriguingly, at the end of the first session on Day Two, Sri Lanka revised their strategy and decided to keep the Australians on the field for as long as possible in the sultry conditions to sap their energy. To nullify chances of getting dismissed, even long hops by Nathan Lyon and full tosses by Starc were not put away.
Resuming the day on 214 for 5 and the sixth-wicket partnership on 188, Sri Lanka began the day at a slow pace. Chandimal and de Silva took 40 minutes to add 12 runs and become the second Sri Lankan pair after Arjuna Ranatunga and Asanka Gurusinha to put on a double century stand against Australia.
However, three overs after reaching the milestone, Lyon managed to induce the inside edge off De Silva's bat, and Shaun Marsh, the fielder who had dropped him more than 25 overs back, caught him at forward short leg. The maiden centurion returned to the pavilion to a standing ovation from the Sinhalese Sports Club crowd.
For a brief period after his fall, Sri Lanka changed their approach and played aggressively. Dilruwan Perera kept giving the charge to the spinners. He succeeded at times, striking three boundaries. However, his end came quite early after he holed out to Lyon at long off. During the course of the seventh-wicket partnership, Chandimal, who had played a sedate knock until then, unleashed a reverse sweep to send Lyon's delivery over the ropes for a six.
Rangana Herath, who came out to bat at No 9, carried on from where Dilruwan left. He struck a couple of boundaries before a change in plan led to the left-hander resorting to defending the deliveries. After a three-session long sixth-wicket partnership, Chandimal combined with Herath to keep the Australian bowlers at bay for 27 overs. During the course of this alliance, Chandimal chugged along towards his seventh Test century with a single through the square leg region.
Herath went past all Australian players, except Smith, in terms of most runs scored in the series before retiring hurt due to a Josh Hazlewood delivery that bounced sharply from short of full length to hit him in the thigh.
Starc, who was brought back into the attack in the 140th over, struck twice in two to wrap up the innings. Chandimal hung his bat out lazily and the left-armer's full-length delivery caught the outside edge of his bat on the way to the wicketkeeper. Suranga Lakmal outside edged a drive in Starc's next over to give an easy catch to Mitchell Marsh at gully and fold up Sri Lanka's innings. With Herath not in a state to bat again, Sri Lanka's first innings came to an end with Lakmal's departure.
Fifty overs by Lyon, 37 by Jon Holland and 25.1 by Starc - Australia struggled for 141.1 overs to end Sri Lanka's fightback. But the skipper didn't deem Moises Henriques, who was brought into the side in place of Usman Khawaja, fit enough to trouble the Sri Lankan batsmen. The all-rounder's medium-pace was left unused.
Australia's start was far more entertaining. David Warner became only the fourth batsman to start a Test innings with a six as Dilruwan's full toss was deposited into the stands. However, the Australian opener's keenness to counter attack and drag the momentum in favour of the visitors backfired soon. He charged too early against de Silva, allowing enough time for the bowler to dart the delivery away from him. He reached out to the ball, but ended up bottom-edging the ball to the keeper, to leave Australia reeling at 21 for 1 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings total. Smith and Shaun saw through the remaining three overs of the second session, adding six runs to take Australia to 27 for 1 at Tea.
The duo combined forces and built the second-wicket stand steadily, even as the spinners got good turn and bounce off the wicket, often beating Shaun's outside edge. Smith countered the challenge by constantly stepping down the track. Having gotten used to the pace and turn of the wicket, Smith too started stepping out time and again.
With Dilruwan kept giving air to his deliveries, De Silva and Herath bowled faster and flatter.
It took 25 overs for Sri Lanka to introduce pace. However, none of their moves worked as the Australian duo worked the ball around easily in the gaps to bring up their respective half centuries as well as Australia's first century-stand of the series.
Smith and Shaun were unbeaten at Stumps on Day 2 with Australia at 141 for 1, trailing Sri Lanka by 214 runs.
The momentum had shifted.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 355/9 (Dinesh Chandimal 132, Dhananjaya de Silva 129; Mitchell Starc 5-63, Nathan Lyon 3-110) lead Australia 141/1 (Shaun Marsh 64*, Steve Smith, 61*) by 214 runs
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