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A fightback late on day two from Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh has left Australia in good position against Sri Lanka coming into Day 3 of the third Test. Join The Roar from 2:30pm (AEST) for all the live scores and continued coverage of the third test.
Australia are sitting on fairly even keel at the moment despite a first innings bowling effort that left a lot to be desired.
The Baggy Green shot out of the gates on the first day to leave the hosts panicking in the water at 5/26 and firmly on the front foot.
Things would only go downhill from there though as Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva pieced together a record-breaking 211-run partnership to steer the ship back in the Sri Lankans’ direction.
A late cameo from Rangana Herath took the total up towards 350 before Mitch Starc cleaned up the final two wickets, picking up yet another five-wicket haul, his third in five innings.
Finally all out for 355, the Australians wasted no time in taking the fight back to the home side, with Dave Warner hitting a six of the very first ball of the innings.
Joy would turn to pain for Warner very quickly though as he found himself walking back to the pavilion at the end of the fourth over.
Skipper Smith would come to the crease and link up with the returning Marsh to piece together a beautifully constructed 120 run partnership to get their side right back in the contest.
Both men notched up their fifties late in the day, just the second and third of the series for Australia.
Australia have one key here and it may seem like an obvious one, but Marsh and Smith can’t get out. They can’t get out early anyway.
If these two can build that partnership up towards 200 and beyond, then the Aussies will be right on top and in a position to go for the slog later in the innings and take the total right out into dangerous territory for Sri Lanka.
Similarly obvious, Sri Lanka need early wickets. Even just one of them in the opening half hour can lead to three or four in the first session. We’ve seen how Australia can collapse when they lose one wicket and it snowballs.
A big hundred could be what Marsh needs to cement that test spot after so many years in limbo, so he’ll no doubt be looking to send a message to the selectors on day three.
Prediction
Smith and Marsh played better and looked more comfortable in the yesterdays last session than the whole squad has all series.
Both of them should tick over their centuries before lunch. Sri Lanka won’t be bowing down though and should keep Australia restricted to around their own total or possibly as high as 400 at the end of the day with seven wickets down.
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