• Home
• /
• Sports
• /
• Cricket

De Silva cracks ton to rescue Sri Lanka

Dhananjaya de Silva hit a maiden century and combined with Dinesh Chandimal to resurrect Sri Lanka's innings after a poor start against Australia on the opening day of the third and final Test on Saturday.
Sri Lanka, who have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, won the toss and opted to bat but were reduced to 26 for five, bringing De Silva and Chandimal together at the crease.
For close to the next 74 overs in the day, Australia could not separate the pair as they added 188 for the sixth wicket with the hosts reaching 214 for five at the close, with De Silva 116 not out and Chandimal unbeaten on 64.
Left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc, the most successful bowler in the series, was at his devastating best in the morning and picked up three wickets, taking his tally for the series to 20.
 Captain Steve Smith introduced off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the sixth over with the pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground already providing some assistance to the spinners and was rewarded with two wickets. Starc, bowling with pace and accuracy, sent back Sri Lanka's faltering opening batsmen, with Kaushal Silva falling for a duck and Dimuth Karunaratne (seven) getting out to the same bowler for all five times in the series. Kusal Perera (16) hit three boundaries before edging Lyon to Smith at slip while the off-spinner also picked up Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews' wicket, the batsman top-edging his sweep shot to deep square leg.
Starc returned for another spell to dismiss in-form Kusal Mendis for one, Smith completing another smart catch behind the wickets.