Sri Lanka shows improved early batting touch in second cricket test against Australia

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Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Australia’s Beau Webster bowls a delivery during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal , right, along with his batting partner Dimuth Karunaratne run between the wickets during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Australia’s Nathan Lyon bowls a delivery during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Australia’s Nathan Lyon, centre, celebrates the wicket Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka with his team mates during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal plays a shot during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Australia’s Matthew Kuhnemann bowls a delivery during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

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Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot during the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle , Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Lahiru Harshana)

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka produced a vastly improved batting display in the second cricket test against Australia on Thursday, reaching 87 for one at lunch on the first day after electing to bat.

Following heavy criticism after its heaviest defeat in test history last week, Sri Lanka made three changes to its playing XI.

One of those changes, Pathum Nissanka, had a brief stay at the crease, falling for 11. Nathan Lyon got a ball to spin sharply past Nissanka’s legs, breaching his attempted sweep and rattling the stumps.

From there, two seasoned campaigners — Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal – took charge. The former captains put on an unbroken 84-run stand for the second wicket, steadying the innings with composed stroke play.

Chandimal, Sri Lanka’s lone batting bright spot in the first test, looked in fine touch once again, reaching lunch unbeaten on 35. Karunaratne, playing his milestone 100th test, remained solid on 34.

It was an emotional outing for Karunaratne, who will retire from international cricket after this match. Ahead of play, the Australian team formed a guard of honor as he walked out to the crease.

Australia made one lineup change, giving a test debut to 21-year-old Cooper Connolly, a batting allrounder from Western Australia who bowls left-arm orthodox spin, at the expense of Todd Murphy.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket