'Is it sustainable?': Smith intrigued by Baz-ball

It was with more than a touch of irony that Steve Smith, in a practice net in Galle, charged down the pitch, flayed a throwdown over an assistant coach's head and exclaimed 'Baz-ball'.

"Guys just keep joking about it – I think Ronnie (Australia's coach Andrew McDonald) has had enough of hearing about 'Baz-ball' to be honest – it's good fun to joke about," a laughing Smith said after he finally finished his net session on Wednesday.

This is the effect of a post-Ashes England swagger under new coach Brendon ('Baz') McCullum that has seen them reel in four consecutive 250-plus fourth-innings totals at astonishing run-rates.

Even two days out from a Test against Sri Lanka where the Aussies are gunning for consecutive series wins in Asia for the first time in 16 years, England are the talk of the town.

"It's been exciting. I'm just intrigued to see how long it lasts, if it's sustainable," Smith told reporters on Wednesday.

"If you come in on a wicket that's got some grass on it and Josh Hazlewood, (Pat) Cummins and (Mitchell) Starc are rolling in at you, is it going to be the same?

"I'm intrigued by it all … Is it going to work every time? I don't know."

With a return Ashes bout to be played next year, Australia are keeping a close eye on their bitter rivals.

It was not, for example, news to Smith that Joe Root's latest match-winning hundred at Edgbaston against India was the former England skipper's 29th in Tests – one more than Smith, who has 28.

"He's played a few more Tests than me!" came the reply from Smith, who has played 35 fewer Tests (86 to 121) and averages nearly 10 more runs per innings than Root (50.76 to 59.37).

It will have also not likely have escaped the 33-year-old Australian's attention that Root extended his ICC Test rankings-point lead over Marnus Labuschagne (second) and Smith (third) on Wednesday’s newly updated charts.

Freed from the burden of captaining an under-performing side, Root has even fired a warning.

"I imagine there will be sides around the world looking at the way that we've been playing and feeling a little bit intimidated by what we're capable of doing," said the right-hander, whose form with the bat this year (927 runs at 61.80) along with Jonny Bairstow's (994 at 76.46) has underpinned England's wins over New Zealand and India. 

"You don't want to be too into what other teams are doing and how they're approaching things. But again, that can only breed more confidence within you and you think sides could be very wary of what you're capable of."

But Smith essentially questioned how the gung-ho approach that has been the unabashed feature of England's resurgence after their 4-0 drubbing down under would hold up in different conditions. 

Under McDonald, the Aussies have settled on a strategy that considers those above all else; on highway-flat Pakistan pitches, they grinded; on a turner in Galle, they attacked.

Call it Ron-ball if you like.

Against Sri Lanka last week, Australia scored at more than 4.5 per over in a Test that would have been over in two days if not for rain.

"We went at good pace in the first Test – if you were sitting there not playing your shots or looking to score, you were probably going to get out eventually," said Smith. "So it was 'get them before they get us'."

Smith’s hopes of catching back up with Root’s century tally in the coming days will depend on him avoiding the kind of mix-up he had with Usman Khawaja in the first Test.

Amid a loud lbw appeal, Smith was run out for six late on day one despite a desperate dive that left his shirt soiled, and he fumed as he walked off the ground.

"I hate getting run out. I think anyone does, particularly given the conditions and just gifting them a wicket, one of the most experienced players " he said.

"I was pretty upset. That happens in the game, I got over it pretty quickly, had to keep moving forward and that's part of the game.

"I spoke to ‘Uz’ straight after, it was pretty chilled, so mix-ups happen and we keep moving on."

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana, Lakshitha Manasinghe, Dunith Wellalage

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. Standby players: Matthew Kuhnemann, Todd Murphy

June 29 - July 3: Australia won by 10 wickets

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

Sri Lanka v Australia Test matches will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports