30 July,2016 08:14 AM IST | | AFP
Australia faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka’s rampant spinners after losing three early second innings wickets yesterday while trying to chase down a formidable target of 268 here yesterday
SL's Lakshan Sandakan (second from left) celebrates the wicket of Australia's Joe Burns in Pallekele yesterday.
Pallekele: Australia faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka's rampant spinners after losing three early second innings wickets yesterday while trying to chase down a formidable target of 268 here yesterday.
SL's Lakshan Sandakan (second from left) celebrates the wicket of Australia's Joe Burns in Pallekele yesterday. PIC/AFP
The tourists were precariously placed at 83-3, when bad light forced an early end to play for the fourth day.
The World No 1 Test team still need another 185 runs for victory on the final day, when Sri Lanka's trio of spinners will expect to capitalise on their early inroads against the tourists.
The hosts' leading left-arm spinner Rangana Herath struck in only the second over of the Australian innings when he bowled David Warner for one. Usman Khawaja started positively with three fours but he was ruled leg before wicket to off-spinner Dilruwan Perera when he attempted a sweep shot after making 18, leaving Australia reeling at 33-2.
Then the debutant Lakshan Sandakan joined the party with a ball that turned sharply and bowled opener Joe Burns who had looked well set on 29. One run later, Adam Voges was ruled lbw to Perera for no score, but the batsman reviewed the decision successfully. With the ball turning alarmingly, Steve Smith and Voges then suppressed their urge to play attacking shots while keeping the scoreboard ticking over with some sharply run singles.
