Sri Lankan allrounder Dhananjaya de Silva has made a brilliant maiden Test century to thwart a fast-starting Australia on the opening day of the third Test in Colombo.
At stumps on Saturday, Sri Lanka were in control at 5-214 thanks to the 24-year-old’s 116 not out in just his third Test and it came at the perfect time with the hosts in deep trouble following the first hour.
After Angelo Mathews won the toss for the third time this series and batted, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon soon had Sri Lanka reeling at 5-26 at Sinhalese Sports Club.
The clatter of wickets was much like the first two Tests, which were dominated by the ball.
However, a pivotal 188-run partnership between No.7 de Silva and wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal, easily the highest of the series so far, put Sri Lanka back on top.
De Silva and Chandimal (64no), who played more of an anchor role opposite his more-aggressive and wristy partner, gave the home side a strong base as they attempted to seal a series whitewash against the No.1-ranked Test team.
De Silva hit 16 boundaries and the Australians clapped him when he brought up his ton with a cut shot off Steve Smith.
Australia’s bowlers made a blistering start, with Starc’s pace and swing again a handful and his three early wickets included Dimuth Karunaratne who he dismissed for the fifth time this series.
The left-arm paceman finished with 3-47.
Lyon (2-72) was introduced to the attack in the sixth over on a bone-dry wicket that took spin straight away and, soon after, he had Kusal Perera caught at first slip.
He then snared the big scalp of Mathews for one when he top-edged a sweep shot and was caught by a diving Starc.
The Australians were on a roll and they would’ve been looking to have a bat midway through the opening day.
However, de Silva and Chandimal were almost faultless.
“We were lucky enough to take five early wickets but you’ve got to give credit to the two guys batting,” said Lyon.
“They batted outstandingly. We have to come back tomorrow and start the grind again.
“The game’s not out of our (reach). We’re in a fight – we’re in a grind,” said Lyon.
In the over before the tea break, de Silva edged a delivery from Jon Holland that deflected off the webbing of Peter Nevill’s right glove.
The biggest opportunity was in Starc’s first over with the second new ball when de Silva, on 104, hit a drive slightly to the right of Shaun Marsh at short cover but he grassed the catch.
Sri Lanka’s spinners Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan will be licking their lips in anticipation of bowling on a pitch described by Australian skipper Smith as even drier than the first two Tests.
Earlier, Australia sprang a selection surprise by calling in allrounder Moises Henriques.
Reserve batsman Shaun Marsh, as expected, was included in the XI which meant both top-order batsmen Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja were dropped.
Johnno
Guest
Our past aussie sides were able to beat Sri Lanka’s(great teams) 1990-2008 every series, except 1999 when Dizzy and Steve waugh got injured in the same match and down to 9 players we lost series 1-0. In fact this is the first series we lose in sri lanka. This sri lanka side, no Jayasaurias/ Little Kalu’s/Sangakarra’s/De Silva’s/Ranatunga’s/Vaas/Murali/Tilekratne/Herath in his prime Russell Arnold/Jaywardna/Dilshan and others. Yet this aussie squad are lame ducks, to a sri lankan side that is not one of it best sides. A 38 yr old Herath and some young no name sri lankan players have been able to wreak havoc on this aussie team, when previous great sri lankan players couldn’t beat the the aussies in sri lanka in a test series. This is not a great sri lankan side, but our aussie boys could beat there great sides in sri lanka, what's going on with this aussie side.