Lunch Sri Lanka 4 for 187 (Dilshan 103*, Mathews 45*) trail Australia 5 for 450 dec by 263 runs
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Tillakaratne Dilshan's third century from his past four Tests steered Sri Lanka safely through until lunch on the third day in Hobart as Australia's bowlers failed to make a breakthrough in the morning session. Rain arrived half an hour before the scheduled lunch break and an early interval was declared at 12.20pm, with Dilshan on 103, Angelo Mathews on 45 and the total on 4 for 187.
It meant the Sri Lankans needed only another 64 runs to avoid the follow-on, although even if the opportunity arose for Michael Clarke, he would be unlikely to make Sri Lanka bat again due to the loss of one of his key bowlers. Ben Hilfenhaus left the field after delivering two balls of his fourth over of the morning and was sent for scans on what was suspected to be a side strain, and he was unlikely to take any further part in Australia's bowling effort.
His departure meant a greater bowling workload for the rest of the Australians, including Shane Watson, whose accuracy helped keep Dilshan in the nineties for half an hour. Dilshan eventually brought up his hundred from his 148th delivery by steering a delivery from Peter Siddle behind point for a boundary and his vocal celebration showed how important the innings was to him and his team, after the Sri Lankans went to stumps last night at 4 for 87.
Dilshan and Mathews denied the Australians any real opportunities on the third morning, but at the same time they were able to move the score along briskly for most of the session. Dilshan was very strong through the off side, cutting and driving with power and he struck 16 boundaries in his century, largely in the region from backward point to extra cover.
Mathews picked up a couple of early boundaries by pulling short deliveries and was very impressive down the ground to the spinner Nathan Lyon, using his feet well and taking few risks. By the time lunch was called, the Dilshan-Mathews partnership had reached exactly 100 at a run rate of 3.72, and Clarke was left wondering who could break the stand, with none of his bowlers having proven much of a danger in the morning.
Dilshan ton drives Sri Lanka
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Dilshan ton drives Sri Lanka
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Dilshan ton drives Sri Lanka
