Lunch Australia 1 for 13 (Hughes 12*, Cowan 1*) need another 128 runs to beat Sri Lanka 294 and 278 (Karunaratne 85, Chandimal 62*, Jayawardene 60, Johnson 3-34, Bird 3-76)
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
The wicket of David Warner for a duck gave Sri Lanka hope as Australia betrayed some early nerves in their small chase of 141 on the fourth day in Sydney. Dinesh Chandimal finished unbeaten on 62 and the 41-run stand he put on with Nuwan Pradeep for the final wicket was critical in giving Sri Lanka's bowlers something to defend. Pradeep was dismissed nearly half an hour before lunch, leaving Australia's openers a short period to bat before the break.
Sri Lanka opened with the offspin of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Australia began shakily as Ed Cowan was almost run out in the first over, having been sent back by Warner while attempting a single that wasn't there. Had the throw from the leg gully area hit the stumps at the striker's end Cowan would have been out, but he survived, avoiding the ignominy of two embarrassing run-outs for the Test after his first-innings brain-fade.
But from the first ball of the second over Sri Lanka did strike as Warner edged Suranga Lakmal to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip. Phillip Hughes was nearly bowled first ball when he failed to get the bat down in time to a Lakmal ball that just missed off stump and at lunch the Australians were grateful not to have lost any further wickets, with Hughes on 12 and Cowan on 1. The total was 1 for 13 and they required a further 128 runs for victory.
Every run was important for Sri Lanka as they resumed the morning at 7 for 225. Only ten runs had been added when Rangana Herath played on to Jackson Bird while attempting to leave the ball alone, and when Lakmal was bowled for a duck trying a hefty swipe off Mitchell Johnson it appeared that the innings could be over quickly. But Pradeep offered impressive support for Chandimal, who farmed the strike effectively.
Chandimal immediately lifted his tempo and struck three boundaries off a Bird over and soon had his half-century from 75 balls with another boundary whipped through midwicket off Bird. Pradeep got in on the act with four down the ground but next ball was caught behind off Bird as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 274.
Warner falls early in chase of 141
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Warner falls early in chase of 141
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Warner falls early in chase of 141
