Australia lost three early wickets to Sri Lanka’s spinners before skipper Steve Smith steadied the ship as the visitors struggled to chase down a target of 268 in a nail-biting first Test yesterday.
Australia were 83-3, with Smith unbeaten on 26, when bad light forced the umpires to call tea early on the fourth day in Pallekele in a match that has already been badly hit by rain.
Australia need another 185 runs for victory to take a lead in the three-match series.
Rangana Herath struck early with his left-arm spin when the veteran bowled David Warner for 1. Offspinner Dilruwan Perera then had Usman Khawaja trapped LBW with the score reading 33-2.
Debutant spinner Lakshan Sandakan, who bagged four wickets in the first innings, cleaned up opener Joe Burns who had looked well set on 29 until he chopped a turning delivery onto his stumps.
Smith then began a battling innings, which has so far not seen him score any boundaries. At the other end Adam Voges was similarly steadfast as Australia looked to consolidate their status as the No. 1 Test team.
Earlier it was Kusal Mendis’ superb maiden century of 176 that helped Sri Lanka seize control of proceedings after lagging behind for the first three days.
Sri Lanka, starting Friday on 282-6, got to 353 in their second innings to turn things in their favor.
ZIMBABWE, NZ
Staff writer
New Zealand continued their dominance of the first Test in Bulawayo yesterday, moving to 250-2 at press time last night in the third session, a lead of 86.
Zimbabwe had little success with the ball after succumbing in their turn at bat for 164, with Chamu Chibhabha dismissing Martin Guptill for 40 in the first session.
Fellow opener Tom Latham (105) was the other man to fall after he and Kane Williamson (80 not out) saw the visitors erase the first-innings deficit.
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