Sri Lanka v Australia 2nd Test, Day 1 – Statistical Highlights

Sri Lanka started off the 2nd Test on a positive note posting 281 in their first innings after losing the openers early. Kusal Mendis once again saved his side with a brilliant 86 while captain Angelo Mathews scored 54. Mitchell Starc picked up a 5-wicket haul. In response, Australia lost 2 wickets for 54. David Warner scored a quick-fire 42 before getting out on the last ball of the Day. Here we look at all the stats and records recorded during the day’s play.

2 – Mitchell Starc became only the 2nd Australian pacer to pick a 5-wicket haul in Tests in Sri Lanka. Ryan Harris picked 5/62 at Pallekele in 2011.

3 – Opening stands of first two innings lasted for 3 balls. These are the fewest balls the opening stands of first two innings of a Test match lasted. Previous fewest is 4 balls in West Indies vs Zimbabwe Test in 2000 at Port of Spain. (From the games, the ball-by-ball data is available)

3 – Jon Holland is the 3rd specialist spinner Australia used in this series. Last time they used 3 specialist spinners in a Test series was in Bangladesh in 2006.

Also read – SL v AUS 2nd Test, Day 1 Review: Match evenly poised

5/44 – Mitchell Starc’s figures of 5/44 are best for an Australian pacer in Tests in Sri Lanka and the best for any visiting pacer at Galle. Starc’s figures of 5/44 are the 2nd best by any pacer after Dilhara Fernando’s 5/42 vs India in 2001.

7 – Number of 5-wicket hauls pacers have taken at Galle in Test cricket. These are the fewest at any venue which has hosted 25 or more Tests. Next lowest is 9 five-wicket hauls by pacers at Georgetown, Guyana.

30 – Dimuth Kakuratne getting out on the first ball of the match was the 30th instance in Test cricket where a batsman got out on the first ball of a match. Last was Chris Gayle vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2010.

50 – Peter Nevill completed 50 dismissals as keeper in Tests. He took 25 innings for this mark. Among Australians, only Adam Gilchrist (21) and Wally Grout (24) took fewer innings.

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102 – Wickets taken by Mitchell Starc in Test cricket. He became the 4th Australian left-arm pacer to take 100 Test wickets.

262 – Runs scored by Kusal Mendis in consecutive Test innings against Australia. These are the most a Sri Lanka batsman scored in two consecutive innings against Australia. Kumar Sangakkara scored 249 runs in two consecutive innings in 2007/08.

1999 – Last time before Mitchell Starc, an Australian bowler picked a wicket on the first ball of a Test match was Glenn McGrath in 1999 of Sanath Jayasuriya also at Galle.