Rangana Herath inspires Sri Lanka’s comfortable third Test win over Australia

It’s hard to judge whether Australia are planning to chase all the way to the end of day five in Colombo, but they’ve at least made a positive start in pursuit of the massive victory target to win the third Test against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan off-spinner Dilruwan Perera struck just before lunch to send Marsh, who scored a century in the first innings in Colombo, back to the pavilion on 23.

They declared their second innings at 347 for 8, setting Australia a daunting target on a final-day pitch.

Dhananjaya de Silva hit a timely 65 not out off 74 balls inclusive of 10 fours while Lyon picked four wickets.

Sri Lanka won the first two games – at Pallekele by 106 runs and at Galle by 229 runs.

Sri Lanka, who have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead against the Steve Smith-led side, are aiming to register their first whitewash against a major team since gaining Test status in 1981.

After Moises Henriques ran himself out, Herath mowed down the Australian lower order to complete the whitewash as Sri Lanka clinched the Warne-Muralitharan trophy in emphatic style. Dinesh Chandimal – who scored a brilliant 132 in the first innings – made a careful 43 before being trapped lbw by Lyon.

Australia had a champion left-arm bowler of their own, Mitchell Starc, who took 24 wickets at 15, but as he is quick, he could not bowl as many overs as Herath.

Rangana Herath claimed seven for 64 to bowl Sri Lanka to a comprehensive 163-run victory over Australia in the third Test in Colombo.

This is the second time in less than a year that it has peaked to number-two position.

Resuming the day on 22 for one, the hosts lost three wickets in the morning session but the 58-run stand between Silva and skipper Angelo Mathews (26) helped them overcome a collapse. He was fantastic with one leg. Credit should go to this man. “He has been a great team man as well”, Mathews said after the end of the third Test.

“Our plans haven’t worked as individuals or as a collective group, we haven’t been able to put Sri Lanka under as much pressure as we would have liked”, he added.

“It was tough initially, because I had a split webbing also”, he said.