Centurions Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith share a happy moment after Day 1 of second Test vs Sri Lanka

Australian star batter Marnus Labuschagne shared a photograph with his teammate Steve Smith after stumps on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka. He took to Twitter to share the photograph with Smith and wrote “Not many things better than scoring a few”. The duo had a memorable day out on the field as both brought up their respective hundreds. Labuschagne scored 104 while Smith is unbeaten on 109 after the stumps on Day 1.

Not many things better than scoring a few 😁 @stevesmith49 pic.twitter.com/4GftPfFKNt

— Marnus Labuschagne (@marnus3cricket) July 8, 2022

The two were involved in a 134-run-partnership for the third wicket as Australia ended Day 1 on 298/5 with Smith and Alex Carey at the crease.

Labuschagne got a life early on in his innings as wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella missed a stumping opportunity when Labuschagne was left stranded out on the pitch as he looked to use his feet against a Sri Lankan spinner. After his reprieve, Labuschagne didn’t give an inch to the bowling side and eased his way to his 7^th Test hundred with the help of 12 boundaries in his innings.

After being annoyed with his run-out in the first Test, Smith looked determined to score a big one on Day 1. He moved around in the crease and unsettled the bowlers scoring boundaries both on the front foot and the back foot. Smith brought up his 28^th hundred in Test cricket becoming the second-fastest to the mark after Sir Don Bradman. He also surpassed Virat Kohli in the list of most Test centuries, who is still stuck with 27 hundreds to his name.

Smith finally ended his 18-month-long century drought as he hadn’t scored a hundred since his hundred at Sydney against India in January 2021. This was Smith’s second hundred in the Island nation where he averages 51.71 with the bat. With this innings, the Australian vice-captain has once again got his Test average in the 60s after it dropped slightly due to his long-century drought. Australia are 1-0 up in the two-match Test series and are eyeing another win to further strengthen their position on the top of the World Test Championship points table.