It was a comfortbale win for Australia in the opening Test of the series against Sri Lanka. The two teams remain in Galle for the 2nd Test starting on Friday from 2.30pm. Once again, we have you covered with a full preview and betting tips for the clash below.
Sri Lanka vs Australia Betting Tips
Galle, Friday 8th July, 2.30pm (AEST)
Sri Lanka
Predicted XI: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Matthews, Dhanajaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lasith Embuldeniya, Asitha Fernando
The Sri Lankans went into the 1st Test with just one front-line paceman in what turned out to be the correct decision despite eventually losing the game. Throughout the match, spinners bowled 122 of 154 overs on a pitch that was bouncing and turning more than anything the Australians had seen in a long time.
I expect the Sri Lankans to go with the full compliment of three front-line spinners once again in the 2nd Test, but locking down on who they might be is the tricky part. Ramesh Mendis was the pick of the bunch in the first innings with four wickets while Jeffrey Vandersay also chipped in for two.
Depending on the availability of Angelo Matthews, who was subbed out of the 1st Test after a positive COVID result, I expect the Sri Lankan top seven to remain the same.
Australia
Predicted XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon Mitchell Swepson
After seeing how this pitch played in the 1st Test, I think the Aussies absolutely have to get more spinning options into the line-up for this game. I originally would have thought that this would involve dropping Cameron Green for Glenn Maxwell, but after Green was the pick of the Aussie batsmen in the 1st Test, I think it's more likely that we'll now see Starc come out of the side for Asthon Agar or Maxwell.
The Aussies will still have Pat Cummins and a very reliable 2nd pace option in Cameron Green to fall back on, but their spinning quintet will be absoltuely lethal with Lyon, Swepson, Agar, Labuschagne and Travis Head, who was the breakout bowling star of the 2nd innings with 4/10 off 2.5 overs.
It would be the first time in decades that the Aussies have gone into a Test match with only one front-line seam option, but I really think its what the pitch calls for on this occassion.
Match Prediction
There's a few things I notcied from the 1st Test at Galle, and if the pitch plays the same way I think the Aussies should be fine to wrap up this series 2-0. The first thing that was abundandtly clear as that the pitch had a lot more bounce than the traditional sub-continent pitch that you'd see in the likes of India.
While it was certainly spinning a mile, the Aussies were a lot more equipped to deal with the turning wicket because it had pretty consistent bounce. I think where this lefty-heavy Australian top six has got into trouble in the past has been on those Indian pitches that skid through and bowl or trap you LBW on the crease.
Usman Khawaja looks at home in these conditions and I think Steve Smith is perfectly suited to them as well if he can just avoid horrendous running errors. Cameron Green also has a buily in advantage with the massive stride he takes down the wicket ruling out a lot of LBW chances on a bouncy wicket.
The Aussie spinning contingent also looks in great form at the moment. Nathan nLyon is at his very best when the pitch has some bounce as well as turn while Mitch Swepson bowled a few of the best leg-break deliveries we have seen since SK was running around, in the 1st Test.
Back the Aussies to win this one at handy odds of $1.95.
Head Top AUS Runscorer - 1st INN ($9.00 at Ladbrokes) 0.5 Units
Lyon Top AUS Wicket Taker - 1st INN ($3.25 at Ladbrokes) 1 Units
Matthews Top SL Runscorer - 1st INN ($4.00 at Ladbrokes) 0.5 Units
Vandersay Top SL Wicket Taker - 1st INN ($3.75 at Ladbrokes) 0.5 Units
Australia to win
$1.95 (2.5 Units)
