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Monday, 19 September 2011

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Lead by 112 runs with four wickets and two days to go:

Sri Lankans in a position of strength

The Sri Lankans at are in a position of strength with a lead of 112 and four wickets remaining at the end of the third day of the Third and Final Test against Australia at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground, here today with Angelo Mathews on 85 and Shaminda Eranga on 5 at the wickets. Sri Lanka was 428 for 6 in reply to Australia’s 316.

When play begins today, the Lankan batsmen will have to step on it, get a formidable lead then put the pressure on the Aussies and probe for that series squaring victory.

Sri Lanka must thank Captain and Vice Captain Tillekeratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews for placing them in this wonderful position. They joined forces when the side was 210 for 4 and the Australians set to take charge. But Dilshan and Mathews had other ideas and their stand of 121 took the game away from the Australians.

Bathed in sunshine

Later Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardena with a stand of 81 helped increase lead. Jayawardena in his 47 hit 3 fours and two huge sixes.

The ground was bathed in sunshine when play began on the third day, which day was going to be the day of destiny for Sri Lanka cricket with the home team on 166 for 2 with Kumar Sangakkara on 61 and Mahela Jayawardena on 31, still 150 runs behind Australia’s 316.

Spectators were seen coming in, hoping that Kumar Sangakkara would tonk a dream hundred in his 100th Test and join a select band of batsmen who have scored hundreds in their 100th Test appearance.

The Lankans had to pass the visitors total, build a good lead and keep the Aussies under pressure for the remaining two days and push for a victory that would help them to square the series and save face.

Could they do it? That was the question on every Sri Lankan cricket fan’s lips.

The SSC wicket has been traditionally known to favour batsmen on the third day and it was no different yesterday.

The ball was kissing the bat beautifully by the sound it was making on impact with the bat and none of the Australian bowlers were able to trouble Sangakkara and Jayawardena.

Early wickets

As for the Australians, it was paramount that they capture early wickets and not let the Lankans dominate. After playing some copy book cover drives which he is famous for and after upper cutting a Shane Watson delivery to the point boundary to reach his 40th Test fifty, Jayawardena perished.

Jayawardena drove at a wide delivery and snicked to Brad Haddin behind the stumps for 51 with 9 fours in 120 deliveries.

It was innings of beauty while it lasted. He helped post the 100 run third wicket stand with Sangakkara in 239 balls. 198-3-51.

Twelve runs later Sangakkara after adding 18 runs to his overnight unbeaten score of 61 fell when he failed to keep down a devilish delivery with the new ball from Peter Siddle that rose off a good length and touched it to Haddin.

He drove the first ball for 4 and was out in the fourth ball. 210-4-79. The new ball was taken at 206.

Sangakkara’s dream of becoming the first Sri Lankan batsman to join that select band of batsmen failed to materialize. That’s how cruel this game can get at times.

Big guns destroyed

The Australians had destroyed Sri Lanka’s two big batting guns in the space of 44 runs which was good going and with the home team still 106 behind.

Skipper Dilshan and Angelo Matthews settled down against the new ball which was being cleverly used by Siddle and Trent Copeland and later Mitchell Johnson and went to lunch having put on 40 runs without further loss.

Dilshan played some audacious drives in his unbeaten 29 with 6 fours and Mathews on 14 with a solitary boundary.

The pre lunch session saw Sri Lanka lose Jayawardena and Sangakkara and at lunch were 250 for 4 were still 66 runs short of the Australian score. The session was even.

When Mathews joined Dilshan the Test was nicely poised and there was a great responsibility on these two.

On them depended the fortunes of this Test for Sri Lanka.


Sri Lankan batsman Angelo Mathews who remained unbeatean on 85 plays a shot during the third day of the third and final Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the SSC Ground yesterday. AFP

They shouldered the responsibility and did the right thing in going for their shots and playing aggressive cricket instead of getting bogged down and this upset all Aussie plans.

Dilshan batting in his former position did not show any discomfort and played the way he knows, putting bat to ball at every opportunity and succeeded driving the ball on the up for fours with good timing and great power with sweet timing. He was first to 50, and his first 50 in this series with 10 fours in 69 balls.

Senior partner

Mathews was content to allow his more senior partner to do all the scoring, but when the opportunity came along he obtained runs going over the top and driving firmly.

With this partnership blossoming, the Australian pace and spin proved innocuous and fell to pieces.

They saw Sri Lanka into the lead hoisting a valuable 121 run stand for the fifth wicket which was a record against Australia and with the total on 331 a lead of 15, Dilshan attempted to tickle a ball off Trent Copeland to third man, got an edge and Haddin took the catch that rebounded off his leg.

Dilshan made 83 with 14 fours in 131 balls,178 minutes. It was a captain’s innings and five star class entertainment while it lasted.

Their stand came in 150 balls.

After the dismissal of Dilshan shortly before tea, the run making became pedestrian and the teams enjoyed a ‘cuppa’ with Sri Lanka on 337 for 5 - a lead of 21 with Mathews on 42 and Prasanna Jayawardena on 5.

The post lunch session was completely dominated by Dilshan and Mathews who brought Sri Lanka back into the picture and a chance of forcing a win.

 

AUSTRALIA
1ST INNINGS: 316
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 not out			85
P. Jayawardene c Clarke b Copeland	47
S. Eranga not out			 5
Extras: (b1, lb2, nb1)			 4
Total (for six wickets, 155 overs)	428
Fall of wickets: 1-56 (Thirimanne), 2-97 (Paranavitana), 3-198 (M. Jayawardene), 
4-210 (Sangakkara), 5-331 (Dilshan), 6-412 (P. Jayawardene).
Bowling: Copeland 33-10-70-2, Siddle 27-7-76-2 (nb1), Johnson 33-5-116-1, 
Watson 24-7-53-1, Lyon 34-5-91-0, Hussey 2-1-5-0, Ponting 2-0-14-0.

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