Steve Smith became the 15th member of test cricket's 10,000-run club as he and opener Usman Khawaja smashed hundreds to help Australia rack up 330 for two on the opening day of the first test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday.

Steve Smith has become the 15th player in Test cricket, and fourth Australian, to score 10,000 runs in a career. Needing just one run, Smith brought up the milestone on his first delivery, skipping down the wicket and punching a single to mid-on, on the opening day of Australia's first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

GALLE: Australia's Steve Smith on Wednesday joined a small group of batters to reach 10,000 Test runs during the first day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle

In the past 15 years, Australia has only enforced the follow-on five times, with acting skipper Smith in command for one of those matches, a win over the West Indies in Hobart in 2015. But it may be Australia's clearest path to victory against Sri Lanka.

After reaching the landmark of 10,000 runs in the first ball of his knock, Steve Smith went on to smash a century as Australia scored 330/2 on the opening day.

Rain in Galle forces an early lunch and stays around until stumps after Australia picked up two Sri Lankan wickets in the morning session on day three of the first Test.

Steve Smith has been labelled a tactical “genius” by Australian spinner Matt Kuhnemann after the stand-in skipper helped set up the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva on Friday.

Steve Smith becomes fourth Australian and only 15th player in history to reach 10,000 Test runs; Australia in commanding position on 330-2 at stumps on day one in Galle after Smith (104 not out) and U

Australia's modern-day great Steve Smith moved past cricketing icons Sunil Gavaskar, Younis Khan, Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene in the tally of most Test hundreds by a player.

Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has praised Steve Smith for a "genius" move against Sri Lanka but brushed off suggestions the Aussie skipper batted too long in the first innings after rain washed out most of Friday's play.

Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has hailed Steve Smith as the greatest player of his generation. Ponting's statement comes after Smith's incredible feat of scoring 10,000 Test runs during series opener in Sri Lanka. The latter reached the feat on Day 1 in Galle.

Australia stand-in skipper Steve Smith reached the prestigious 10,000-run mark in Test cricket during a match against Sri Lanka at Galle. He is the 15th player and fourth Australian to achieve this. Smith reached this milestone with an innings that underscored Australia's strong start after winning the toss.