COLOMBO: Defiant centuries from Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva propelled Sri Lanka to 355 all out against Australia on the second day of the third and final Test in Colombo on Sunday.
De Silva then struck again with the ball, claiming the crucial wicket of Australian opener David Warner, as the visitors took tea at 27 for one.
Shaun Marsh was batting on eight with skipper Steven Smith on four, as Australia trailed the hosts by 328 runs in the first innings.
Sri Lanka are determined to complete a series whitewash against Australia in the capital, after stunning the world’s number one team in the first two tests.
Earlier in the day, Chandimal’s overnight partner de Silva advanced from 116 to 129 before falling in the first hour, but not before the pair had rescued the innings with a 211-run partnership.
The pair’s sixth-wicket stand lifted Sri Lanka from a precarious 26 for five, to a position of strength at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.
Chandimal top-scored with a gritty 132 before being caught behind off Mitchell Starc, who took five wickets, as the Sri Lankan innings folded in the afternoon session.
Chandimal, who recorded his seventh Test ton, put together another crucial 73-run partnership with Rangana Herath, who made a brave 33 before retiring hurt.
Starc, who wreaked havoc along with Nathan Lyon on Saturday to reduce Sri Lanka to 26 for five, became the first Australian bowler to take three five-wicket hauls in a series in Sri Lanka.
