SL vs AUS: Innings defeat a good reality check, says Pat Cummins after Australia lose Galle Test
India Today
Australia captain Pat Cummins was left to rue missed opportunities after Sri Lanka beat his side by an innings and 39 runs in the second Test to level the series at 1-1 on Monday.
Australia captain Pat Cummins said their collapse from 298 for 5 on the second morning was "an opportunity missed" and the loss in Galle, by an innings and 39 runs, might be a "reality check" for the Australia team.
Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya picked up the fourth-best figures in the history of test match cricket by a debutant to back up Dinesh Chandimal's first double hundred as Sri Lanka beat Australia by an innings and 39 runs on Monday.
Electing to bat, the tourists were in great shape at 329/5 in the first innings, but they lost their last five wickets quickly to be all out for 364 with Steve Smith stranded on 145. Alex Carey missed a couple of stumping chances and Australia paid heavily for wasting three reviews as Sri Lanka amassed 554 in their reply.
The visitors were stung when Dinesh Chandimal, then on 30, edged behind but Australia had run out of reviews and could not challenge the not-out decision. Chandimal went on to smash a career-best 206 not out.
"We had plenty of chances over the last couple of days and didn't quite grab them," Cummins said after their loss.
"Unfortunately Sri Lanka were too good."
"We probably got ourselves in a position where 400-plus in the first innings was achievable and we didn't have someone to go with Smithy down the other end."
