Sri Lanka surpassed the Australian first innings score for the first time in the third and last test of this series on Sunday, after significant contributions from almost the whole of the top and middle order. At close of play, Sri Lanka was 428 for 6 in reply to the Aussie total of 316. Sri Lanka has a healthy first innings lead of 112 runs.
Sri Lankan Captain T.M.Dilshan (83) finally went past a half-century in five innings this series while K.Sangakkara (79) missed out on an opportunity to make a century in his 100th test. The dependable Mahela Jayawardene made a patient 51, Anjelo Mathews (83 not out), who has had a great series with the bat, continued with his good work, and wicket-keeper P.Jayawardene (47), finally proved that he too could bat.
Aussies toil on flat wicket
The flat track at the Sinhalese Sports Grounds offered nothing to the bowlers barring the movement in the first few overs in the morning. Over 250 runs were scored, and only four wickets fell through the day as Australia sweated it out on the field for more than a day for the first time in this series.
Sri Lanka finally had two century partnerships: one between Mahela and Sangakkara (101) and another between Dilshan and Mathews (121), which literally helped it move to a strong position by close of play on Day 3.
The first wicket to fall on this lazy Sunday was that of Mahela, whose bat went after a Shane Watson nothing ball – fuller, outside the off stump and asking to be put away. Mahela has done that so many times this series. But this time, it appeared that Mahela’s front foot did not move. The resultant edge was collected by wicket-keeper Brad Haddin.
Australia came back into the game when Sangakkara went soon after. Siddle’s height made the new ball jump a shade higher, after pitching short of good length. Sangakkara defended, but the ball took the bat’s shoulder on the way to safety of the wicket-keeper’s arms. But Dilshan, who survived a few nervous moments, and Anjelo Mathews, made sure that there would be no more surprises for the hosts as they took the score from 4 down for 210, to well past the Aussie first innings total.
Dilshan goes
The aggressive Dilshan went just as he looked good to keep going. Again, it was against the run of play after Dilshan got an edge to a fuller Copeland delivery. Haddin was standing up for Copeland, and the ball hit his leg and bounced upwards to his chest where Haddin trapped it!
This wicket did not deter Mathews, one of the two most consistent Sri Lankan batsmen in this series, and P.Jayawardene, who has moved down the order. Initially watchful, Jayawardene gave admirable support to Mathews in a stand of 81, which could prove decisive of there is a result here.
In fact, he brought up the Sri Lankan team 400 with two mighty sixes over deep mid-wicket, off the luckless Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon. Like every single Sri Lankan batsmen in this innings, he too looked good for a great deal more when he uppishly drove Copeland into Clarke’s hands.
Debutant S.Eranga (7 not out), who picked up 4 first innings wickets, appeared confident with the bat as he convincingly drove Copeland on both sides of the wicket – straight to the fielders though. Clarke crowded his fielders around the bat, but that proved no distraction to the youngster as he calmly played each ball on merit.
Sri Lankan coach Rumesh Ratnayake wants a lead of at least 200 ahead of pressing for a win. And, the Sri Lankan team, for the moment, seems headed that way.
Scoreboard
Australia — 1st innings: 316 in 104.3 overs.
Sri Lanka — 1st innings : T. Paranavitana c Ponting b Johnson 46, L. Thirimanne b Siddle 28, K. Sangakkara c Haddin b Siddle 79, M. Jayawardene c Haddin b Watson 51, T. Dilshan c Haddin b Copeland 83, A. Mathews (batting) 85, P. Jayawardene c Clarke b Copeland 47, S. Eranga (batting) 5; Extras (b-1, lb-2, nb-1): 4; Total (for six wickets in 155 overs): 428.
Fall of wicket s: 1-56, 2-97, 3-198, 4-210, 5-331, 6-412.
Australia bowling : Copeland 33-10-70-2, Siddle 27-7-76-2, Johnson 33-6-116-1, Watson 24-7-53-1, Lyon 34-5-91-0, Hussey 2-1-5-0, Ponting 2-0-14-0.
