Australia’s 2016 Test tour of Sri Lanka was a catastrophe.
Steve Smith’s comrades have been comprehensively outclassed by Sri Lanka’s gifted spinners within the subcontinent, defeated 3-0 in a debilitating sequence whitewash.
In Amazon Prime Video’s documentary sequence The Test, the second season of which dropped on Friday, veteran opener David Warner was requested to mirror on the tour, the place he scored 163 runs at 27.16.
Watch BBL12. Every recreation reside and ad-break free throughout play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
He rolled his eyes and muttered: “F***ing s***.
“Memories were horrible. I was getting beaten on both sides of the bat with the spinning ball.”
Usman Khawaja was additionally queried in regards to the 2016 sequence, throughout which he was dropped from the facet after 4 failures with the bat.
“2016 tour, what tour?” Khawaja joked.
“Some tours give you nightmares.”
He bodily shuddered whereas reminiscing.
Six years later, Australia returned to Sri Lanka amid an financial disaster to defend the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy in a two-Test sequence.
Both matches of the 2022 tour have been scheduled to happen at Galle International Stadium, the place Australia had been rolled for 106 and 183 throughout their earlier go to.
Australia’s spinners bowled beautifully on day one of many sequence opener, with Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson collectively taking eight wickets to topple the hosts for 212 — however the batters knew the problem that awaited them.
Sri Lanka had picked three strike spinners for the match, and the Galle pitch was a verified raging turner — Lyon’s first supply of the sequence struck wicketkeeper Alex Carey between the eyes.
Warner was the primary to depart, trapped on the pads by off-spinner Ramesh Mendis after a straight supply beat his inside edge.
“The f*** do you keep missing those?” he yelled after returning to the sheds, slamming the fridge door shut whereas retrieving a bottle of water.
But after struggling to twist the plastic cap, Warner chucked the water bottle throughout the room in disgust and bellowed: “Can’t open the f***ing things!”
Australian No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne, enjoying his first Test innings in Sri Lanka, fell cheaply after he tried a reverse sweep in opposition to Mendis, selecting out the purpose fielder.
“Any freaking danger?” Labuschagne muttered after getting into the changerooms.
“Freaking hell do you pick out the one, you freaking s***?”
But the worst was to come back for Australia.
Smith missed a leg look whereas dealing with Mendis within the twentieth over, prompting the Sri Lankans to enchantment for LBW. Amid the confusion, Smith and Khawaja started scampering by for a single, just for Khawaja to ship his accomplice again with each batters stranded in the course of the pitch.
Smith spun round and sprinted to make his floor, desperately diving for the crease — however he was run out. Australia’s greatest batter was gone for six.
Smith returned to his toes along with his white shirt lined in dust, throwing his fingers within the air and shaking his head in disbelief.
He was completely furious.
“F***ing run, you ***,” Smith screamed after getting into the sheds.
“F***ing smart getting run out on a f***ing wicket like that, that’s good.
“F*** me.”
The horrendous run out got here after an uncharacteristically quiet couple of years for Smith within the Test enviornment, mustering only one century from his earlier 18 matches.
His Test batting common of 39.51 throughout that interval was hardly trigger for concern, nevertheless it was significantly lower than what Australian cricket followers had come to count on from him.
“It wasn’t ideal,” Smith stated of the run out on The Test.
“It was a difficult surface, and given I’m probably the most experienced player on those conditions, getting out without being challenged by the bowler probably took me a little longer to get over.”
Australia was saved by Khawaja and younger all-rounder Cameron Green, who scored 71 and 77 respectively to assist the guests register 321 within the first innings.
The pitch had deteriorated shortly over the course of 48 hours, with Sri Lanka rolled for simply 113 within the second innings, all 10 wickets falling to spin.
Australia had retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy. Redemption was full.
Originally revealed as Australian staff’s Galle changeroom blow-up caught on digicam in new documentary
