Michael Clarke led Australia well poised for a win

Australia set Sri Lanka a target of 379 to win the first test of the three-test series here on an overcast day. With the wicket aiding bowlers, it will require all of the Sri Lankan top order to perform to eke out an unlikely draw.

Australia finished its second innings a 210, with some significant contributions from the lower order batsmen

Herath picks five

The Australian lower order put up a stiff resistance in a pitch that aided spinners. The last four wickets added over 80 runs as the Aussies went past the 200 mark with ease. Herath kept working hard from one end, unafraid to pitch it up and was rewarded aptly. This was his fifth five wickets haul in tests and he more than justified the faith that the selectors placed in him.

Left hand batsman Usman Khawaja was a changed man in the second innings of the test. He was too tentative in the first, but in the second, partnered Ryan Harris and kept the score board ticking. He looked comfortable till such time he was trapped in front by Welegedara.

The Sri Lankan plan

When Sri Lanka took the field on Day 3 of the first test against Australia here, they had a plan: restrict the Australian second innings to 140; make sure that the experienced, frontline batsmen stay long enough and don’t gift wickets to Nathan Lyon, and encourage Paranavitana to score a shade better.

“If he [Paranavitana] can manage about 40 runs for every 100 balls or so he faces, we would be better off. There would also be no pressure on batsmen at the other end,” said Rumesh Ratnayake, Sri Lanka’s coach. The other problem was Anjelo Mathews. “He has hit a [rough] patch,” conceded the coach. But the team had some ideas for him too. One was to promote him up the order and see what he could manage. The idea was to relieve him of additional pressure because of wickets falling at one end.

Ratnayake said that there was a lot of post-match review that went on following the manner in which the Sri Lankan batsmen got out in the first innings. Not one batsmen managed a 50, and the last seven wickets did not manage to add even 20 runs. “We have been talking and I hope we make amends in the second innings,” he said.

Asked if the team management erred in not picking another spinner, Ratnayake was frank: We were unable to manage with seven batsmen in the first innings. So, no, there was no such talk.

Play resumes

On Day 3, play began at 12-10 pm owing to overnight and morning rains. The sky is still overcast, but there are two more days left in the match for Australia to push for a win. For now, Sri Lanka has the unenviable task of keeping out the relentlessly probing Australian bowlers for two and a half days.

Scoreboard:

Australia (1st innings): 273 all out

Sri Lanka Batting (1st innings): T.M.Dilshan c Ponting b Copeland 4, T.Paranavitana lbw Watson 29, K.Sangakkara c Clarke b Lyon 10, M.Jayawardene (run out) 11, T.Samaraweera lbw Watson 26, P.Jayawardene lbw Watson 0, A. Mathews b Lyon 5, S.Randiv c Ponting b Lyon 9, R.Herath c Johnson b Lyon 0, S.Lakmal (not out) 2, C.Welegedara c and b Lyon 1. Extras (lb-4, nb-3, w-1) 8. Total: 105 all out in 50 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-24, 3-44, 4-87, 5-87, 6-88, 7-100, 8-100, 9-103

Australia Bowling (1st innings): Ryan Harris 8-5-6-0, Copeland 12-3-24-1, Johnson 9-1-26-0, Lyon 15-3-34-5, Watson 6-1-11-3

Australia (2nd innings): S.Watson c Samaraweera b Welegedara 0, P.Hughes lbw Dilshan 28, R.Ponting c Herath b Lakmal 4, M.Clarke c P.Jayawardene b Herath 60, M.Hussey T. Paranavitana b R.Herath 15, U.Khawaja lbw C.Welegedara 26, B.Haddin c P.Jayawardene b Herath 0, M.Johnson c P.Jayawardene b Herath 8, R. Harris c & b Herath 23, T.Copeland (not out) 23, N.Lyon c Samaraweera b Dilshan 13 Extras (b-4, lb-4, nb-2) 10. Total: 210 all out in 59.2 overs

Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-5, 3-61, 4-110, 5-110, 6-112, 7-130, 8-170, 9-178

Sri Lanka Bowling (2nd innings): C.Welegedara 6-3-13-2, Lakmal 8-3-23-1, R.Herath 23-3-79-5, S.Randiv 14-3-61-0, T.M.Dilshan 8.2-1-26-2.