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Follow live: Australia look to take ascendancy on day two of Second Test against Sri Lanka

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Chris RobinsonThe Nightly
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Marnus Labuschagne of Australia walks off after he was dismissed.
Camera IconMarnus Labuschagne of Australia walks off after he was dismissed. Credit: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

After an encouraging start, can the Aussies put the foot down against Sri Lanka on day two?

Follow the latest below, with play again set for a 12.30pm (WA time).

LUNCH AUS 2/85

A terrific fightback from this pair though it hasn’t been chanceless but you can’t expect that on a deck like this..

Smith has laced some excellent cover drives despite Dhanajaya trying to plug that region with extra fielders.

Khawaja has looked more comfortable of the two though sweeping on this pitch is tricky.

Sri Lanka will be reasonably happy with their efforts taking two wickets and there’s still a lot of work for this pair to do with Australia still trailing by 172.

Last over before the break

Mendis comes into bowl the last over before lunch.

Khawaja is happy to hang on the back foot and defend.

Ge rocks back to square drive a shorter ball through point for four.

Smith defends into the legside and then works a single through midwicket.

Tough going

Khawaja and Smith’s control this innings is both below 80 per cent which shows you how challenging it is.

Khawaja is relying on his sweeps while Smith is more keen to use his feet to get to the pitch of the ball.

Both have offered half chances but they’ve landed safe.

Smith edges a delivery from Jayasuriya but it lands agonisingly short of slip who takes it on the bounce.

AUS 2/71

Australia pass 50

Smith comes down and works with the spin of Jayasuriya to get him through mid-wicket for four.

Close! Smith comes out to cover the spin but the ball turns big to go past the bat, luckily Smith gets his foot back behind the line to avoid a stumping.

Smith survives review call

Same ball with one that slides on but this one is hitting Smith in front of leg stump as opposed to middle.

Missing by a long way and Sri Lanka lose a review.

LABUSCHAGNE GONE ON REVIEW

Terrible shot as Marnus jumps back to one that slides on and thunders into the pads.

Not given on the field with the only issue if it’s doing too much.

But it’s smashing into leg stump and Marnus has to after another failure.

Danger signs for Australia here with the ball doing plenty.

AUS 2/37

Labuschagne walks in

The Australian No.3 is in desperate need of some runs.

He’s off the mark straight away flay batting a drive through cover for four.

OUT!

Travis Head falls trying to attack.

After taking 0/186 in the first Test Peiris gets one early here after Head danced down but the ball spins to take the outside edge and go to first slip.

Sharp catch by the captain and Sri Lanka have an early breakthrough.

Spin from both ends

Kumara just gets the two overs with Nishan Peiris coming on from the other end.

Head had cracked the paceman for back-to-back boundaries last over.

OOF. his first ball spins back viciously and it just misses the stumps and may have been a drop by the keeper off a thin edge though it looks like he just missed it.

Gets off strike with a single as does Head as they exchange singles to finish the over.

AUS 0/27

Sri Lanka’s captain comes on to bowl

Interesting move after Dhananjaya De Silva didn’t bowl in the first Test instead letting is four bowlers bowl marathon spells.

Reports say he had a side strain.

He beats Khawaja’s outside edge with one that holds its line.

Khawaja whips a single off his pads for the only run of the over.

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