Golden-arm Head and Lyon strike as Sri Lanka collapse

Sri Lanka 229 for 9 (Chandimal 74, K Mendis 59*, Starc 3-37, Lyon 3-78) vs Australia

Australia's trio of specialist bowlers toiled manfully during a see-saw day one against a fighting Sri Lanka on a dry Galle surface that did not live up to the hype, but occasionally spun sharply and is expected to deteriorate significantly.

After Sri Lanka suffered their worst defeat in Test cricket on a slow surface, there had been much speculation that this new surface would produce significant bite and turn. There was sharp turn at times, especially in the second session, but it was the consistency and variations of Australia's bowlers that led to several cheap dismissals.

Sri Lanka made three changes with Pathum Nissanka replacing Oshada Fernando at the top of the order, while offspinnser Ramesh Mendis and quick Lahiru Kumara were included at the expense of Jeffrey Vandersay and Asitha Fernando.

Fresh from his nine-wicket haul in his Test return, Kuhnemann was also handed the new ball and had a loud shout for lbw on Nissanka turned down with the decision upheld on umpire's call after Australia reviewed.

Sri Lanka's openers steadily built despite some nervous moments as Smith reverted to Lyon in the eighth over. Aiming at the footworks from Starc, Lyon produced significant turn and bounce on his second delivery that flew down the legside for four byes.

But Lyon wasn't made to wait long for a wicket after hitting the top of leg stump when Nissanka moved too far across his stumps looking to paddle sweep. Australia were buoyed, but inroads proved difficult against the type of disciplined batting from Sri Lanka that was lacking in the first Test.

Connolly was brought in just before lunch having never taken a wicket from the 96 balls he had bowled in his four previous first-class matches. Connolly did develop a knack of taking key wickets in the recent BBL season, but he could not strike as Sri Lanka made it to lunch well placed.

Chandimal resumed after the interval with a boundary off Lyon before the game turned on its head.

Lyon varied his speeds and slid a faster delivery from around the wicket past Karunaratne's defence to rattle the stumps. He was in lovely rhythm and went about working over Angelo Mathews knowing he had his number after dismissing him twice in the first Test.

Mathews crawled to 1 off 25 before succumbing to a slower, wider Lyon delivery and feathering an edge into the gloves of Alex Carey, who has performed well behind the stumps in this series.

Lyon seemingly had his 550th wicket when Kamindu was adjudged caught behind on 3 only for the decision to be successfully reviewed with no nick detected. Kamindu could not capitalise and fell relatively tamely to Head's handy offspin after a thick edge off an attempted cut shot flew to Smith at slip.

Head unfurled his now customary celebration, suggesting that his spinning fingers are on fire, as Kamindu's struggles continued after entering the series with an average over 70.

Deploying Head was another move from Smith that worked a treat and his gut instincts were again rewarded when he threw the ball to Starc, who dismissed de Silva for a golden duck after he steered a wide delivery straight to gully.

Chandimal's defiant knock ended on 74 after he was deceived in the air by Kuhnemann and lost his footing before being stumped by sharp glove work from Carey.

Australia eyed running through Sri Lanka's lower-order just like in the first Test, but Kusal provided a counterattack after a collision with Kuhnemann at the non-striker's left him momentarily shaken.

He slog swept to good effect on consecutive deliveries, with the latter sailing over the rope. Kusal received good support from namesake Ramesh, who has been in solid batting form in first-class cricket.

They rotated the strike well and picked off the occasional boundary to frustrate a flagging Australia attack. Ramesh has a first-class average of almost 40, with a high score of 300 not out, but his Test mark sits at a disappointing 18 with no half-centuries from 22 previous innings.