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Dilshan falls after Sri Lanka's promising start

Sri Lanka's openers put on their best partnership of the series but the loss of Tillakaratne Dilshan just before lunch was a blow for the hosts, who still trailed Australia by 154 runs. At the break, Sri Lanka were 83 for 1, with Tharanga Paranavitana on 33 and Kumar Sangakkara yet to score, with Dilshan the only man dismissed in yet another rain-interrupted session.

The wet weather was the main reason Michael Clarke declared overnight, with Australia's lead already 237, as he was keen to give his bowlers plenty of time to dismiss Sri Lanka a second time. The breakthrough they sought finally came after the players returned to the field for a ten-minute period before lunch, after a short rain delay, and the break might have affected Dilshan's concentration.

On 36, he flashed at a Ryan Harris delivery and was caught at first slip by Shane Watson, not a surprising dismissal after two earlier edges from Dilshan off Watson fell short of men in the cordon. It ended the opening partnership at 81, a vast improvement on Sri Lanka's first-wicket stands so far in the series: 4 and 0 in Galle and 2 in the first innings of this game.

There had been a couple of nervy moments for Paranavitana as well; on 26 he a survived a confident review when the Australia players were convinced he had gloved a catch down the leg side off Mitchell Johnson. The umpire Tony Hill was unmoved, and while the replays suggested the ball may have brushed the glove, the lack of any overwhelming evidence meant Paranavitana was rightly given the benefit of the doubt.

Australia had another chance to break the stand when a terrible throw from Phillip Hughes at midwicket wasted a run-out opportunity, with Paranavitana struggling to make his ground at the striker's end. Paranavitana had played and missed several times early in the innings but started to find his touch with some punchy drives down the ground and through cover.

Dilshan also drove well when the fast men bowled too full, but he would be seriously disappointed with his lapse in concentration just before the break. With plenty of runs still required to make Australia bat again, Sri Lanka need at least a couple more partnerships like that opening stand.