It was this kind of a day

Sri Lanka’s batsmen proved hard to budge and frustrated Australia’s attempts to claim a match-winning lead in the second Test at C...

Sri Lanka’s batsmen proved hard to budge and frustrated Australia’s attempts to claim a match-winning lead in the second Test at Cazaly stadium here today.

The Sri Lankans bounced back from the misery of their 149-run mauling inside three days in Darwin last week to defy Australia’s all-star bowling attack and greatly improve their chances of avoiding a second series clean sweep inside five months. When rain and bad light forced an early end to the third day’s play, the tourists were 411-5 – 106 runs behind Australia’s first innings of 517. Tilan Samaraweera was unbeaten on 53 with wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana not out 30, with just two days remaining in the Test to glean a result.

Leg-spinner Shane Warne picked up another wicket today to edge to within five wickets of equalling Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s 527-wicket world record haul.

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Sri Lanka, who have lost their last four Tests to Australia including a three-match series whitewash at home in March, had few problems negotiating the follow-on target of 318 today on a good batting track.

Samaraweera raised his sixth Test half-century, with Kaluwitharana, playing his first Test in two years, chancing his luck and taking a Jason Gillespie lifter flush on the team crest of his batting helmet.

Sri Lanka only lost a total of three wickets during the day, with skipper Marvan Atapattu posting the fourth-highest innings of 133 against Australia, Mahela Jayawardene hitting 43 and Tillakaratne Dilshan chipping in with 35.

Brief scores

Australia

: 517 vs Sri Lanka: 411-5 (Marvan Atapattu 133, Kumar Sangakkara 74, Thilan Samaraweera batting 53).

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