Teams head to SSC with Aussies leading one-nil:

Bad light and rain to Lanka’s rescue

Elmo Rodrigopulle - Reporting from Pallekele

Rain and bad light came to the rescue of Sri Lanka and helped save the Second Test against Australia on the final day at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, here today. At the time of the stoppage, Sri Lanka was 317 for 6 a lead of 80 with Angelo Mathews on 11 and Suraj Randiv on 4.

With bad light and light rain falling the umpires decided to abandon the game at 3.40 p.m. Only 36 overs of play were possible out of the 98 overs scheduled for the day.

Right arm paceman Ryan Harris who has been consistent on this tour had the best figures of 3 for 54 in 22 overs with 8 maidens. When the final day began with Sri Lanka on 223 for 3, still 14 runs

in arrears after Australia made 411 for 7 in reply to Sri Lanka’ first innings score of 174 and Kumar Sangakkara 69 and Mahela Jayawardena 39 at the wickets, the stage was set for an exciting final day’s play.

But the rain gods looked benignly on the Lankans, maybe because of their more purposeful batting effort in the second innings and came to their rescue. With the Test ending in a stalemate, the teams go to the SSC for the final Test on Friday with Australia having a one-nil lead.

Opportunity

Sri Lanka will have the opportunity of winning that Test and saving face with the series all square. If they fail at the SSC it will be a calamity. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. The day dawned with rain in the morning and when the Test got under way, it was overcast and with the new ball due after an over, it was interesting to see how the overnight not outs Kumar Sangakkara on 69 and Mahela Jayawardena on 38 were going to negotiate the new ball.

If Sri Lanka was to save this Test a lot depended on these two seasoned and capable batsmen. They had a big responsibility to shoulder and take the team to the safety of a draw. Another defeat would mean a series loss which would have been galling.

After adding six more runs and taking their 3rd wicket partnership to 101, disaster struck when with the first ball of the third over with the new ball Ryan Harris had Sangakkara caught at slip by Clarke without adding to his score of 69. Sangakkara lunged forward to an away swinger from Harris and edged. He hit 8 fours in a 155 ball innings. It was a big wicket.

Two balls later Harris would have scalped Thilan Samaraweera. But Clarke at slip grassed the catch.

Dropped catch

Making good use of the dropped catch, Samaraweera helped Jayawardena add a valuable 41 runs for the 4th wicket. Jayawardena was content to play second fiddle, while Samaraweera was the more adventures playing some lovely drives in front of the wicket.

Jayawardena, the most committed batsman and team man in the Sri Lankan line up reached a well deserved 50, his 39th in Test cricket but did not last long. He edged a ball from Copeland and Clarke dived forward to take a good catch. Jayawardena who was unsighted rightly stood his ground and the umpire had to go upstairs. Jayawardena was ruled out and he gracefully accepted the decision.

Rain again

Wicket keeper batsman Prasanna Jayawardena joined Samaraweera and added 18 runs without further hiccups, when the rains came down forcing the players back into the pavilion. Samaraweera was not out 37 and Jayawardena on 13 and the Sri Lankan lead was stretched to 51. The players had an early lunch with Sri Lanka on 288 for 4 and play was scheduled to begin at 12.30 p.m. weather permitting.

After lunch Jayawardena went for 21 after hitting 5 fours. He was caught behind by Haddin off Harris. Six runs later Samaraweera tickled a ball to Haddin off a Shane Watson off cutter after making 43 with 5 fours. With Sri Lanka on 317 for six, a lead of 80 runs the rains came down again at 1.50 p.m and play was stopped. Angelo Mathews was on 11 and Suraj Randiv 4. It was disconcerting to the players and frustrating to the spectators.

With the arrival of Randiv it was a nice sight to watch Clarke employing an umbrella field with four slips and two gullys with left arm paceman Mitchel Johnson’s bowling. It was called the Carmody field which was the concept of former Australian Captain Keith Carmody after the war according to Jim Maxwell of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation who is here covering the tour.

SRI LANKA 
1ST INNINGS: 174
AUSTRALIA 
1ST INNINGS: 411-7 
declared
SRI LANKA 
2nd innings (overnight 223-2)

T. Paranavitana c Haddin b Hussey 	55
T. Dilshan c Watson b Harris 		36
K. Sangakkara c Clarke b Harris 	69
M. Jayawardene c Clarke b Copeland 	51
T. Samaraweera c Haddin b Watson 	43
P. Jayawardene c Haddin b Harris 	21
A. Mathews not out 			11
S. Randiv not out 			 4
Extras: (b6, lb20, nb1) 		27
TOTAL (for six wickets, 114.3 overs)	317
Fall of wickets: 1-81 (Dilshan), 2-128 (Paranavitana), 3-229 (Sangakkara), 
4-270 (M. Jayawardene), 5-301 (P. Jayawardene), 6-307 (Samaraweera).
Bowling: Harris 22-8-54-3, Copeland 27-10-63-1, Johnson 23.3-4-61-0, 
Watson 20-9-43-1, Lyon 15-1-52-0, Hussey 4-2-2-1, Clarke 3-0-16-0.