Thursday, February 13, 2025

Disgrace in Galle as fortress collapses in worst defeat

by malinga
February 2, 2025 1:12 am 0 comment 1.2K views

By Callistus Davy
Sri Lankan batters could not even face up to a new bowler in left arm spinner Matthew Khunemann who finished with nine wickets

Pompous displays, frivolous excuses and lilywhite boasts found no place as Sri Lanka was crushed under the might of an Australia juggernaut yesterday at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, considered the fortress of the home team.

The result marked the worst defeat for Sri Lanka wherever cricket is played as Australia won the first Test by a smashing innings and 242 runs.

Heads dropping! Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva (right) and Jeffrey Vandersay hoping that something could happen

Heads dropping! Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva (right) and Jeffrey Vandersay hoping that something could happen

Prior to yesterday’s havoc unleashed on the home team, Sri Lanka’s worst defeat was losing to India at Nagpur by an innings and 239 runs in 2017 and the most disgraceful home loss for the islanders was Pakistan winning a Test match by an innings and 222 runs in Colombo in 2023.

The performance of the Sri Lankans was pathetically appalling as the team lost 15 wickets inside two sessions of play yesterday after resuming from an overnight 136 for 5 in the first innings to be all out for 165 and following-on were sent reeling for a second innings total of 247 after some slogging by tailender Jeffery Vandersay who made 53.

There was nothing Test-solid about the Sri Lankan batting that was more akin to limited overs cricket while the former captain Dimuth Karunaratne cut a sorry picture in both innings.

Under bright sunny weather there was nothing to save the team on a pitch that is usually custom-made for Sri Lanka’s batters and slow spin bowlers and the match was a foregone conclusion when Australia ended the first day at 330 for 2 and declared at 654 for 6.

It marked the highest total conceded by Sri Lanka to a foreign team that surpassed a previous 638 made by Bangladesh in 2013.

In the progress of their merry-making jaunt Australia also went past its previous highest total in Asia that stood at 617 against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 1980.

The two teams move into the second and final Test at the same venue starting February 6 and by dragging Australia to play both matches in Galle, Sri Lanka has gained an uncanny reputation showcasing just one arena to the outside world.

Of the 47 Test matches played on the spin-friendly track in Galle, considered a minefield for visiting batsmen, Sri Lanka had 27 results in its favour along with six draws over the years.

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