AUS Win By An Innings and 242 Runs | Sri Lanka vs Australia 1st Test 2025 Day 4 Highlights: Spinners Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon Star As Visitors Gain 1-0 Lead Over Hosts in Warne-Murali Series

Australia have completely outclassed their opposition here, and Sri Lanka had no answers to the visitors' spinners. Both Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann ran past the Sri Lanka line-up both times and have handed Australia a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. With the bat, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, and debutant Josh Inglis lead from the front, scoring a double hundred, a century, and a ton, respectively. 

OUT! Matthew Kuhnemann gets rid of Nishan Peiris, who played down the wrong line, and found himself bowled for a 14-ball duck, with Jeffrey Vandersay going all guns blazing on the other end.  Nishan Peiris b Matthew Kuhnemann 0(14)

OUT! Nathan Lyon gets his second wicket in as many over, and overall manages to grab his fourth of this innings. Lyon enticed the batter to play the drive, which opened up a huge gap between bat and pad, which saw the ball spin back, and knock over Prabath Jayasuriya's stumps. Prabath Jayasuriya b Nathan Lyon 1(3)

OUT! Nathan Lyon gets rid of the well-set Kusal Mendis, and Australia have managed to pick two wickets in as many overs.  Mendis was lured into playing the drive but ended up missing the ball, and dragged his feet enough outside the crease to get himself stumped. Kusal Mendis st Carey b Lyon 34(47)

OUT! Matthew Kuhnemann has been Australia's saviour in this Test and has been picking up wickets at regular intervals. Dhananjaya de Silva went for the lofted drive but got into mistiming the ball with a slower delivery by Kuhnemann. Dhananjaya de Silva c Webster b Matthew Kuhnemann 39(50)

Sri Lanka finally saw some stability in the middle, with both Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva stitching up a small but crucial partnership for the sixth wicket. The duo have looked in control in their 65-ball stay in the middle while adding 47 runs.  Australia skipper Steve Smith has mostly bowled his spinners, who have been more lethal in the Test thus far. 

OUT! Australia are getting things done with here, and Sri Lanka have lost half a century. Nathan Lyon removes Angelo Mathews for a well-made 41. A tossed-up delivery and Mathews obliges with a big shot, that goes straight into the hands of the fielder. Angelo Mathews c Head b Nathan Lyon 41(59)

OUT!  Matthew Kuhnemann gets the big fish, and Kamindu Mendis' resistance comes to an end. A poor shot from ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2024, and the batter has gone back to the pavilion of 32 in 26 balls. Kamindu Mendis c Mitchell Starc b Kuhnemann 32(26)

Welcome back for the post-lunch session, Australia are continuing with their spinners Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann, who will look to repeat their performance from the second innings. Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis will want to stitch a long stand. 

OUT! Nathan Lyon gets rid of Dinesh Chandimal on the brink of lunch, and Austalia gets a crucial breakthrough. Chandimal wickets end a 69-run stand Angelo Mathhews. Dinesh Chandimal c Head b Lyon 31(49)

And umpires have taken lunch as well,

Veterans Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews have held the fort for Sri Lanka after the fall of wickets. The due has ensured that the scoreboard has kept on ticking, and the bowlers have not had it easy in the middle. Chandimal and Mathews have already added 46 off 53 balls for the third wicket. 

Just the start that Australia were hoping for in the second innings, Mitchell Starc provided a breakthrough, and now spinners have come into play. First Oshada Fernando fell, and then Dimuth Karunaratne got out for zero off Todd Murphy's bowling. 

OUT! Mitchell Starc provides Australia with their first wicket in the second innings as well as Oshada Fernando gets rattled by a perfect inswinging yorker. Dinesh Chandimal is back out in the middle to bat, after getting dismissed for 72 this morning. Oshada Fernando lbw b Mitchell Starc 6(10)

Mitchell Starc will start the proceedings for Australia as Sri Lanka begin their second innings. Sri Lanka will hope Oshana Fernando, and Dimuth Karunaratne will showcase a better performance the second time around. 

OUT! Matthew Kuhnemann gets his well-deserved five-wicket haul, and with this Sri Lanka's innings has come to an end on 165. Australia have gained a mammoth 489-run lead. Jeffrey Vandersay after hitting a four, wanted to repeat the same but ended up lobbing a catch at extra cover. Australia have decided to enforce the follow-on. Jeffrey Vandersay c Mitchell Starc b Kuhnemann 4(7)

OUT! Nathan Lyon gets his revenge, after getting hit for a four on the previous ball. Nishan Peiris wanted to fend the ball, but the delivery skidded and found the edge of the bat, where Josh Inglis took an easy catch at forward short-leg. Nishan Peiris c Josh Inglis b Nathan Lyon 5(9)

OUT! Third wicket for Australia in as many overs, and Sri Lanka have lost three wickets in a span of zero runs. Prabath Jayasuriya danced down the pitch to defend, but the ball spun a bit too much for an easy stumping for Alex Carey, to hand Matthew Kuhnemann his fourth scalp. Prabath Jayasuriya st Carey b Kuhnemann 0(6)

OUT! Sri Lanka's last recognised pair has also gone back into the pavilion, and they are still 498 runs behind. Nathan Lyon in his second over of the day, does the trick for Australia and gets Chandimal to play the wrong shot, which had the batter get hit on his pads for an easy leg-before decision. Chandimal did take the DRS but to no avail. Dinesh Chandimal lbw b Lyon 72(139)

OUT! Just when Sri Lanka looked well-set, Matthew Kuhnemann provided Australia with a breakthrough. Kusal Mendis, who looked solid in his 49-run stand with Dinesh Chandimal has to depart on 21. Kusal went for the expansive drive and ended up handing a simple catch to Todd Murphy. Chandimal is en route to his 17th Test hundred, currently batting on 70. Kusal Mendis c Murphy b Kuhnemann 21(40)

Cricket resumes on Day 4, which for the moment is bright and sunny in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka batters Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal will hope to consolidate the innings, and get as near as possible to Australia's mammoth first-innings score. Australia, on the other hand, can attack with close-in fielders for both pacers and spinners