Head falls as pressure builds at No.5

After play on day two of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle was delayed by rain for almost four hours on Thursday, Head lasted only five balls and didn't add to his overnight score of six before he was dismissed.

With the legside field open for him, Head attempted to work the left-arm orthodox spinner Dhananjaya de Silva through the vacant midwicket area.

But he only succeeded in providing a leading edge back to the Sri Lankan allrounder.

The darling of Australia's home Ashes series win just five months ago, Head now finds himself under some pressure to keep his spot at No.5.

He was not the only Australian to fail in the first innings in Galle, but he was the only batter not to get going in Pakistan in March with scores of 23, 26, 11no and six.

In more difficult batting conditions in Sri Lanka, he at least battled through to stumps on day one before Thursday's exit.

There is no doubt he has proven his ability to score runs at home, but his record outside of Australia now stands at 387 runs at an average of 25.8.

Head will get another chance in the second innings in Galle.

Glenn Maxwell was put on standby before the Test when Head was battling a hamstring injury, before the South Australian recovered.

Able to offer finger spin in the same manner as Head, Maxwell hasn't played first-class cricket in two-and-a-half years but does have a Test century on the sub-continent to his name.

The Victorian didn't even bring his baggy green to Sri Lanka given he wasn't in the Test squad.

And with his last Test in Bangladesh in 2017, Maxwell has discovered in the past week the famous cap had disintegrated so much in the past five years he cannot wear it.

But if Head doesn't score in the second innings, there is every chance Maxwell could be given a new baggy for the final Test in Galle.

Australian Associated Press