Aussies take more big wickets before rain comes down
Australia are eyeing a convincing win in the Test series opener against Sri Lanka as more big wickets tumbled on a bright start to day three in Galle.
But the tourists will hope tropical Sri Lankan showers don’t dampen their hopes of another productive day, with rain forcing the covers on just before lunch.
Mitch Starc (2-13) and Matt Kuhnemann (2-48) disposed of Sri Lanka’s strike weapon Kamindu Mendis and captain Dhananjaya de Silva as Sri Lanka went to lunch at 5-136.
The follow-on will surely be in consideration for the tourists, who are 518 runs ahead of their hosts on a pitch starting to offer assistance to the bowlers.
One more scalp and Sri Lanka will be into their own bowlers, with wet weather forcing the session to finish 15 minutes early and denying Australia more scalps.
Dinesh Chandimal (63no) offered resistance for the hosts, who had fallen to 3-44 at stumps on day two and were in desperate need of his positive intent.
The 35-year-old wore a bouncer from Starc on his hip and needed medical attention on-field but fought on for a 31st Test half-century.
He looms as the crucial wicket for Australia’s bowling attack, having made his highest Test score – an unbeaten 206 – in the sides’ last meeting in Galle in 2022.
Kusal Mendis (10no) is unbeaten next to Chandimal.
But teammates Kamindu Mendis and de Silva threw their wickets away earlier in the first session.
Starc did well to extract some swing from the ball during the session and enticed Mendis into poking down the leg-side, where he was caught by Alex Carey.
Mendis (15) had scored five centuries last calendar year, including an unbeaten 182, the last time Sri Lanka hosted at Galle in September.
De Silva (22) advanced on Kuhnemann but missed the left-arm offspinner’s length ball and found himself stumped by Carey.
Axed from the Test team for the series opener, Sam Konstas watched the third day’s play from the team hotel after coming down with a stomach bug.
The team is confident the issue is not serious.
Australia confirmed legspinner Tanveer Sangha would join the Test squad in Galle as their second development player after Ollie Peake, but is not expected to be considered for selection.
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