The plot that went wrong at Galle

The annihilation it faced on Friday could force the Sri Lanka cricket team’s think-tank to restrategise ahead of the second and final Test against Australia starting at the same venue next Friday. Australia steamrolled the hosts inside two-and-a-half days to record a comprehensive 10-wicket win in a Test that lasted just 153.2 overs in all.

The beating was so painful that many thought Sri Lanka had shot themselves in the foot by preparing a wicket that turned and bounced as early as in the first hour of play. The question now is: did the Galle curator go too far to try and secure home advantage. Or was this what Sri Lanka had asked for, in a bid to spin the opposition out as they did in the 2016 series…