Nishan starts around the wicket to Carey, who drives the first ball to long off for a single.

He comes back over the wicket to Smith. He’s just pitching the ball a bit outside off stump, hoping it skids onto the stumps or onto Smith’s pads.

Smith so far defending well, but a lot of it is on the back foot, which is a dangerous ploy on this pitch.

A couple of runs off the over.

Jayasuriya continues to stay around the wicket to both the left and right handers.

Alex Carey goes for a paddle sweep and misses the first time around, and there’s excitement around the bat from the Sri Lankans.

Carey doesn’t miss the second paddle and picks up two as Lahiru Kumara chases it down.

Jayasuriya pulls up in his run-up to try and figure out what Carey is going to do, catches Carey premeditating a reverse sweep.

With the next ball, Carey does exactly that, picking up a single.

This middle session from Australia so far mirroring Sri Lanka’s yesterday, slow going.

Nishan Peiris to continue over the wicket to Smith.

The off-spinner bowling with much more discipline today.

Smith flicks one off the pads down to the midwicket boundary and picks up a single.

Meanwhile, Josh Inglis has been put through his paces in the practice nets.

He walks out in his full kit ready to go, fully padded up with a helmet on and everything, and Khawaja literally falls the next ball.

Inglis has to wait to bat until 1.27pm local time, which is 27 minutes away, because he spent time off the ground, therefore Alex Carey is the new man at the crease.

The double-centurion from the first Test has to go!

Nishan gets another one to keep low and Khawaja misses an attempted pull shot and Joel Wilson gives it out.

I have a feeling this one could be going down leg as well, but he was very deep in his crease.

Khawaja reviews it, but sees the dreaded three reds and that’s a HUGE wicket. He’s got to go for 36 off 57 deliveries.

Nishan’s second wicket for the innings.

Jayasuriya to continue around the wicket to Smith.

The partnership between Smith and Khawaja is now up to 50.

Smith prances down the track and smacks Jayasuriya down the ground, but the ball hits Khawaja at the non-striker’s end and it’s only a single in the end.

Jayasuriya stays around the wicket to Khawaja, who comes down the track and flicks the ball through midwicket for another single.

Jayasuriya gets one to go on straight with the arm and Smith is struck on the pads, but again he’s gotten himself outside the line of off stump.

Another tight over from the left-armer. Australia’s run rate has dipped below three for the first time.

Nishan Peiris to partner Jayasuriya to start the session. He bowled a lot better in the first session.

SMITH GIVEN OUT LBW! Nishan gets one to keep low and Smith plays back and is wrapped on the pads. The umpire gives it out but Smith decides to review.

There’s no edge, but this has very clearly hit Smith outside the line of off stump. The on-field decision is overturned. That was a poor one from Joel Wilson.

Still, encouragement for Nishan that variable bounce. He’s just got to bowl stump to stump.

Smith comes down the pitch with the next delivery, but it’s well fielded by Nishan.

Smith ends the over with a single down to deep cover. A great over from Peiris to start after lunch.

Jayasuriya starts around the wicket to Smith. He’s just got one slip in, no other catchers around the bat. I’d like to see Sri Lanka attack a little more, to be honest.

There are two catchers placed in the covers as Jayasuriya continues to try and tempt Smith into a booming cover drive in the air.

After a couple of balls, Dhananjaya gets Nissanka in close on the leg side.

Jayasuriya goes over the wicket and Smith misses an attempted sweep shot.

BEATEN! Another lovely delivery from Jayasuriya that pitches on middle and off and spins past Smith’s bat.

Jayasuriya comes back around the wicket and dots Smith up to end the over, it’s a maiden.

We’re just about ready to roll in what looms as a key session in this Test match.

Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith heading back out there with Australia trailing Sri Lanka by 172 runs.

This partnership is already up to 48. They put on 266 in the first Test, and Sri Lanka will want to break this up quick smart.

Prabath Jayasuriya to open things up for Sri Lanka.

Josh Inglis having this back issue begs the question, did he have a niggle coming into the match?

Cooper Connolly also barely bowled in Sri Lanka’s innings, which makes you wonder why Nathan McSweeney didn’t receive a look-in.

The early wickets in successive overs weren’t what Australia would’ve wanted, but the team’s best batters coming together will be heartening for the whole camp.

Batting on this pitch looks hard, but should get a little easier as the ball gets older and softer.

And having Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith at the crease, fresh off a 266-run partnership in the first Test, is Australia’s best chance of posting a big score in the first innings.

Usman Khawaja is defending to start. This is a danger over for Australia.

He’s defending confidently outside off. Playing for the spin with soft hands.

Khawaja gets back and pushes through point for a single.

Dhananjaya de Silva calls Kamindu Mendis in to short leg for Steve Smith.

Smith ends the session with a single to mid-on.

Khawaja is back and working to square leg for a single.

Smith plays back and hides his bat as a ball skids by outside off.

FOUR! Lovely shot, with the spin this time, ignoring the two catching covers and sending the ball racing to the rope off the front foot.

Ramesh Mendis is continuing to Usman Khawaja, who picks up a single.

Another attempted drive by Smith squirts off his inside edge to mid-on.

FOUR! Absolutely middled by Smith on the cover drive. Slapped hard.

Runs on the board, Smith sees out the rest of the over defensively.

He comes around the wicket to Khawaja and wants a review for LBW on Khawaja, but it’s not forthcoming. That ball pitched miles outside leg. Awkward shot from Khawaja though.

EDGED! But it falls short of Dhananjaya de Silva at first slip. A genuine outside edge from a defending Smith fell maybe an inch in front of the skipper’s mitts.

Two catching covers in place, but Smith still finds a couple of runs through that region. That’s an interesting field placement from Dhananjaya. Definitely putting some doubt in Smith’s mind.

The left-hander pushes away outside off for a single through cover.

Smith and Khawaja trade a couple more singles.

A powerful shot from Smith on the charge. He absolutely middles it, but straight to wide mid-on.

That’s his best shot today, but he get nothing for it.

Another miscued slap from Smith as he charges. It sprays away off the inside half of the bat for another single. He’s not happy with himself, but it’s safe for now.

Another single on the reverse sweep for Khawaja. Two methods being employed here. Smith wants to charge and Khawaja wants to sweep.

He has Steve Smith in his sights first up.

Smith plays back and turns off his stumps for a single.

Khawaja as a look at a pull shot, but that ball’s gone miles and he has to pull out. That is ridiculous spin.

Another top-edged sweep from Khawaja, this time running away to fine leg for a single.

He misses his first sweep shot as Prabath Jayasuriya skids on straight outside off, and then top-edges the next one into no-man’s-land at square leg. It falls safely. Might be the first time he’s mistimed a sweep shot in this series.

Smith takes a single to give Khawaja the strike back.

Four. A superb reverse sweep from Khawaja. This is a really challenging deck, but if you can get to the length of the ball, it takes the pitch out of the equation a bit.

There’s another LBW shout as Khawaja sweeps, but not a lot going for it to be honest. Khawaja was outside the line and may have got a bottom edge on it.

He nudges the ball away and takes a quick single.

Another shuffle down by Smith and he lobs over the leg side. I think he wanted to go back over the bowler but got the ball on the inside half of the bat and sliced away over wide mid-on instead.