Warner, Khawaja dismissed in first session

Scott Bailey | July 8, 2022

David Warner’s run of outs has continued with the opener dismissed early in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Australia went to lunch on day one at 2-99 after winning the toss and batting, with Marnus Labuschagne not out on 42 and Steve Smith unbeaten on 13.

Usman Khawaja struck a neat 37 before being bowled by Ramesh Mendis, marking the first time he has been dismissed for less than 50 since the end of the Ashes series.

But Warner’s run of form is not so consistent after he was bowled for five.

The left-hander has not hit an international century since January 2020, averaging 28.89 in 12 Tests since.

Warner got a good ball to remove him on Friday, with a delivery from Kasun Rajitha moving away slightly off the pitch and taking the left-hander’s off stump. 

After Australia opted to stick with Mitchell Starc instead of playing an extra spinning allrounder in Glenn Maxwell, the Galle wicket appears to have more pace and bounce in it.

Labuschagne leant on two balls outside off stump from quick Rajitha and used their pace to send them to the boundary just before lunch.

The Queenslander also played two of the finest shots of the morning when he twice swept Prabath Jayasuriya to the legside boundary in the space of three balls.

Sri Lanka only had themselves to blame for Labuschagne still being at the crease at the break.

The right-hander should have been stumped on 28 when he came down the wicket and was beaten by Mendis, only for wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella to fumble the ball.

The hosts have been forced to debut Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana and Jayasuriya after a COVID-19 outbreak in their squad.