Sri Lanka drop big chance straight after Steve Smith brings up 10,000th Test run

Steve Smith experienced the highs and lows of cricket in the space of three balls on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka, as he finally brought up an important milestone.

Stranded on 9,999 runs after the SCG Test, Smith quickly brought up his 10,000th on the first ball, hitting a single to mid-on off the bowling of Prabath Jayasuriya.

The 35-year-old was given a big round of applause around the ground, raising the bat.

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"I thought he might try to get it off the first ball he faced," Ricky Ponting said on Seven.

"This is a moment in cricketing history isn't it? Steve Smith, 10,000 Test runs.

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Elite list of legends Smith has joined with latest milestone

"Might've been a slightly grander stage if it was brought up a couple of weeks ago in front of his home crowd at the SCG but you look around this ground in Galle, there are a lot of Aussies there that have flown out just to witness that moment.

"Fantastic, magnificent achievement."

Smith's heart was in his mouth quickly two ball later though, smashing a Jayasuriya delivery straight back to him.

However, the spinner dropped it, making for a first session full of mistakes from Sri Lanka.

"A significant missed opportunity very quickly after that, there's been a few missed chances," Trent Copeland said.

The dropped catch off Smith was the third missed opportunity, with Usman Khawaja dropped and Sri Lanka failing to review an lbw decision from Travis Head that would've been given out.