Smith breaks Ponting's record as Starc misses hat-trick

Table of Contents

has chalked up another remarkable achievement in Sri Lanka after the home team surrendered late in Galle.

When Prabath Jayasuriya got a faint edge caught by Smith at second slip on the final day of the second Test, the stand-in Aussie captain snagged his 197th Test catch in the process. This achievement boosted him past Ricky Ponting as Australia's record holder for most Test catches snaffled.

Smith's effort landed Mitchell Starc a hat-trick after he'd knocked over Ramesh Mendis on the previous ball. Unfortunately the left-armer's third ball sailed past Nishan Peiris.

RECAP: Australia v Sri Lanka second Test, day one

READ MORE: Rough legal battle over gone-missing Melbourne Cup cash

READ MORE: If you can provide more information or the specific article text, I can assist with a paraphrased version of it in Australian English.

It was a day when Australia held all the aces, with Sri Lanka totalling 9-228 after winning the toss and deciding to have a batting crack.

"If you'd asked Australia, after losing the toss, if they could nearly bowl Sri Lanka out for a score of nearly 230, I reckon they would've taken that," Greg Blewett said on Seven.

Sri Lanka made a solid start, finishing at 1-87 by lunch. Pathum Nissanka was the one who got out, bowled by Nathan Lyon for 11.

After the break, the bloodbath kicked off.

The score of 137 became 175 pretty fast as Lyon got rid of Travis Head and Mitchell Starc.

Wickets for those two came after Smith had bowled them.

"Steve Smith is off to a ripper," Simon Katich said on Seven when Starc knocked over captain Dhananjaya de Silva for a duck.

https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1887475090406973725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Sri Lanka trooped off for tea at 5-144, and the curse of a break continued.

Dinesh Chandimal got out leg before the wicket for 74 runs, bowled by Matt Kuhnemann, and that put Sri Lanka at 6 for 150 runs with play resumed.

Sri Lanka dug deep and recovered to 6-215 due to the persistence of Kusal Mendis and Ramesh Mendis.

However, as soon as the new ball was introduced, Ramesh Mendis edged behind off Starc before Jayasuriya was dismissed with the next delivery.

Peiris was the last bloke out, bowled off for a duck by Kuhnemann as Australia wrapped up the day in a healthy position.