Australian quicks tear through Sri Lanka as hosts take control of first Test

Australia are already halfway to eclipsing Sri Lanka’s first-innings score after the hosts’ bowlers produced their best start to a Test in almost two years at the Gabba.

After debutant Jhye Richardson tore through Sri Lanka’s top order and Pat Cummins took four wickets to roll the visitors for 144, Marcus Harris (40 not out) helped Australia to stumps on night one at 72-2.

Only the dismissals of recalled opener Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja soured Australia’s day, with Burns edging one off Suranga Lakmal for 15 and Khawaja chopping Dilruwan Perera on 10 minutes before stumps for 11.

That brought nightwatchman Nathan Lyon to the crease and he and Harris got through the danger period against the pink ball.

Criticised for their lack of discipline against India earlier this summer, Australia’s bowlers ran through the tourists with consistent lines and subtle movement in the series-opener.

Richardson was the star after producing the delivery of the day to knock over the dangerous Kusal Mendis for 14, the ball swinging in before nipping away to take off-stump.

It headlined a dream start to Test cricket for the young West Australian, who made Dinesh Chandimal his first scalp when the Sri Lankan captain edged to second slip on five.

Dhananjaya de Silva was his other victim, also edging an outswinger on five.

Mitchell Starc claimed two wickets and Lyon one. Starc’s twin scalps also made him the 17th Australian to claim 200 wickets, reaching the mark when he had Perera caught at third slip for one, before snaring Lakmal in his following over.

The effort marked the first time Australia dismissed a team for less than 150 in their first innings since February 2017.

After Sri Lanka won the toss, Cummins got the breakthrough when he had Lahiru Thirimanne edging for 12.

The Australian quick also nicked off Roshen Silva for nine and then got Sri Lanka’s topscorer in Niroshan Dickwella for 64 at deep mid-off after dinner.

Dickwella produced an audacious knock, at one stage scooping Starc for six as he put on a lone resistance for Sri Lanka.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was the only other tourist to pass 20 but fell to a Lyon ball that fizzed off the pitch and caught his glove on the way to wicketkeeper Tim Paine.