The Sri Lankan top order collapsed a second time in as many innings chasing 379 to win the first test of the three-test series here on an overcast day. Later in the day, Mahela Jayawardene (57 not out) and a surprisingly unrestrained Angelo Mathews (32 not out) showcased how to bat on a pitch that aided seam and turn. The duo made sure that the match extended to a fourth day.

The wicket helped both the seam bowlers and the spinners, and Sri Lankan batsmen seemed clueless when all that was required of them was to stay and play out, one over at a time.

The only batsman who looked capable of rising to the challenge, T. Paranavitana, who made 29 in over a 100 balls in the first innings — and resembled Navjot Singh Siddhu in his debut against the West Indies in Ahmedabad in the 1983 series — was declared leg before in the first ball of the second innings. Hawk eye showed the ball pitched outside leg. Paranavitana did not challenge the decision. The very next ball from Ryan Harris was similar, and this time, it caught K. Sangakkara in an identical fashion. He too was given out. However, the ruling was reversed, after Sangakkara opted for the review.

The Sri Lankan captain had no one but himself to blame as he shaped to drive from his crease a Harris delivery that came in from outside the off-stump. The ball found the gaping hole between the bat and the pad and homed in on to the stumps. In two innings, the captain had managed a total of 16 runs. Wicket-keeper batsman P. Jayawardene bagged a pair, while Thilan Samaraweera had scores of 26 and 0 in two innings.

With the wicket aiding bowlers, it will require all of the Sri Lankan top order to perform to eke out an unlikely draw. Barring Sangakkara, who got a nasty rising delivery that made the pitch look much more dangerous than it really was, no other Sri Lankan batsmen were done in by exceptional bowling or the pitch. They just gave up.

Herath picks five
Earlier, Australia finished its second innings a 210, with some significant contributions from the lower order batsmen. The last four wickets added over 80 runs as the Aussies went past the 200 mark with ease. Herath kept working hard from one end, unafraid to pitch it up and was rewarded aptly. This was his fifth five wickets haul in tests and he more than justified the faith that the selectors placed in him.

Left hand batsman Usman Khawaja was a changed man in the second innings of the test. He was too tentative in the first, but in the second, partnered Ryan Harris and kept the score board ticking. He looked comfortable till such time he was trapped in front by Welegedara.

The Sri Lankan plan
When Sri Lanka took the field on Day 3 of the first test against Australia here, they had a plan: restrict the Australian second innings to 140; make sure that the experienced, frontline batsmen stay long enough and don’t gift wickets to Nathan Lyon, and encourage Paranavitana to score a shade better.

"If he [Paranavitana] can manage about 40 runs for every 100 balls or so he faces, we would be better off. There would also be no pressure on batsmen at the other end," said Rumesh Ratnayake, Sri Lanka’s coach. The other problem was Anjelo Mathews. "He has hit a [rough] patch," conceded the coach. But the team had some ideas for him too. One was to promote him up the order and see what he could manage. The idea was to relieve him of additional pressure because of wickets falling at one end.

Ratnayake said that there was a lot of post-match review that went on following the manner in which the Sri Lankan batsmen got out in the first innings. Not one batsmen managed a 50, and the last seven wickets did not manage to add even 20 runs. "We have been talking and I hope we make amends in the second innings," he said.

Asked if the team management erred in not picking another spinner, Ratnayake was frank: We were unable to manage with seven batsmen in the first innings. So, no, there was no such talk. But the plan went awry with no Sri Lankan batsman barring Mahela Jayawardene showing the patience and application required on a pitch that is helpful to bowlers.

Plan falls apart
Unfortunately, the plan fell apart. Containing the Aussies did not work. Also, the final nail on the plan was the first ball dismissal of Paranavitana, one of the few Sri Lankans who has the big-innings temperament. The plan was soon given up and Sri Lanka stuck to the same batting order that managed 105 in the first innings.

Play resumes
On Day 3, play began at 12:10 p.m. owing to overnight and morning rains. The sky is still overcast, but there are two more days left in the match for Australia to push for a win. For now, Sri Lanka has the unenviable task of keeping out the relentlessly probing Australian bowlers for two and a half days.

SCOREBOARD:
Australia (1st innings): 273 all out
Sri Lanka Batting (1st innings): T.M.Dilshan c Ponting b Copeland 4, T.Paranavitana lbw Watson 29, K.Sangakkara c Clarke b Lyon 10, M.Jayawardene (run out) 11, T.Samaraweera lbw Watson 26, P.Jayawardene lbw Watson 0, A. Mathews b Lyon 5, S.Randiv c Ponting b Lyon 9, R.Herath c Johnson b Lyon 0, S.Lakmal (not out) 2, C.Welegedara c and b Lyon 1. Extras (lb-4, nb-3, w-1) 8. Total: 105 all out in 50 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-24, 3-44, 4-87, 5-87, 6-88, 7-100, 8-100, 9-103

Australia Bowling (1st innings): Ryan Harris 8-5-6-0, Copeland 12-3-24-1, Johnson 9-1-26-0, Lyon 15-3-34-5, Watson 6-1-11-3

Australia (2nd innings): S.Watson c Samaraweera b Welegedara 0, P.Hughes lbw Dilshan 28, R.Ponting c Herath b Lakmal 4, M.Clarke c P.Jayawardene b Herath 60, M.Hussey T. Paranavitana b R.Herath 15, U.Khawaja lbw C.Welegedara 26, B.Haddin c P.Jayawardene b Herath 0, M.Johnson c P.Jayawardene b Herath 8, R. Harris c & b Herath 23, T.Copeland (not out) 23, N.Lyon c Samaraweera b Dilshan 13 Extras (b-4, lb-4, nb-2) 10. Total: 210 all out in 59.2 overs

Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-5, 3-61, 4-110, 5-110, 6-112, 7-130, 8-170, 9-178
Sri Lanka Bowling (2nd innings): C.Welegedara 6-3-13-2, Lakmal 8-3-23-1, R.Herath 23-3-79-5, S.Randiv 14-3-61-0, T.M.Dilshan 8.2-1-26-2.

Sri Lanka Batting (2nd innings): T.M.Dilshan b Harris 12, T. Paranavitana lbw Harris 0, K.Sangakkara c Hussey b Watson 17, M.Jayawardene (not out) 57, T.Samaraweera c Haddin b Johnson 0, P.Jayawardene b R.Harris 0, A.Mathews (not out) 32. Extras ( b-1,lb-1) 2. Total 120 for 5 in 52 overs
Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-15, 3-52, 4-63, 5-68

Australia Bowling (2nd innings): Harris 9-2-24-3, Copeland 9-5-8-0, Johnson 10-3-20-1, Lyon 12-2-41-0, Clarke 2-0-6-0, Watson 8-4-14-1, Ponting 2-0-5-0