Lunch Sri Lanka 75 for 3 (Mathews 34*, Starc 1-11, Lyon 1-17) and 165 (Chandimal 72, by Silva 22, Kuhnemann 5-63, Lyon 3-57) Trail Australia 654 for December 6 by 414 races
Australia’s mood was considerably enlightened under clear skies in Galle while marching to a first test victory after claiming eight Sri Lanka Wicks in two tickets before lunch of day four.
After a truncated day three, the normal game has resumed and Australia could significantly conclude the victory in four days, but there is a rain forecast in the afternoon. A clear climate is expected on Sunday.
Kuhnemann celebrated his first trial match in almost two years with three WICKETS in the morning session to register his second five Wickt test, while Lyon took 3 by 57.
With a massive advantage of 489 races, the fourth advantage of Australia’s first entries, and with his rested bowling players, Captain Steven Smith, as expected, decided to enforce the follow -up.
Oshada Fernando starter in the third Over Flumb LBW to a fierce delivery of Starc. Fernando, disconcerting, wasted a review in another unfortunate use of Sri Lanka technology in what has been a sad performance in all areas.
It meant that Chandimal reached the fold less than an hour after his previous dismissal in the first entries. But he watched from the other end while the opener Dimuth Karunarratne had a horrible Judgment and was clean without playing without Murphy.
Sri Lanka had noticeably lost 7 for 15 in both entries in just over an hour. But Chandimal once again played fluently until he looked at Lyon at the short leg while Australia successfully reviewed the decision without leaving.
Australia will feel relieved after the two final sessions on day three were dragged. Questions had been asked about whether Australia hit too much in their first tickets, since they registered their highest total in Asia.
Resuming at 136 by 5, Sri Lanka found an unexpected hope of surviving with a draw due to the humid climate. But they desperately needed Chandimal to kick having compiled an attractive half century on the third day.
The pressure was in Chandimal and the Wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis as the last batters recognized before the tail.
Smith displayed the Kuhnemann and Lyon spinning from the first moment when Chandimal displayed the reverse scan he had used with good effect on the truncated day three.
It was a cautious beginning of Sri Lanka’s batters with Kuhnemann extracting an uncomfortable rebound that occasionally raised the surface. Mendis went to his favored sweeping against Kuhnemann and he hit a limit to raise Sri Lanka 150.
But Australia was well prepared with her tactics and primed Mendis in the sweeping shot with two riots placed in the deep square of the Wickt. Mendis could not contain himself and a sweep of best edges to be well trapped by a Todd Murphy in the square leg.
The load fell to Chandimal, who had not been able to recover his fluency before at the entrances. His butt finally ended when an reverse sweep was lost to fall LBW to Lyon while checking in vain.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth