For Australian team an old truth about turning tracks that ” the one that doesn’t turn that brings with it danger” prooved right as it lost nine matches on subcontinent soil.
Advertisement
Australia put on 77 for the opening wicket – by far the best of either side in the series – before Shaun Marsh was brilliantly caught by Kusal Mendis at short leg, parrying the ball up before twisting and taking a one-handed grab.
Warner, who got Australia away to a swift start with three fours and a six, had reached 44 off 64 balls by the interval.
Sri Lanka set the imposing victory target after Angelo Mathews declared at 8-347 in their second innings early on Wednesday after resuming on 8-312.
Silva came into bat at No. 3 because of a finger injury that had required six stitches and pain killers and spent six hours at the crease, facing 269 deliveries and hitting 10 boundaries in a patient, watchful knock for 115 runs.
But following losses by 106 runs in Pallekele, 229 runs in Galle and 163 runs in Colombo, Australia has joined England on 108 points but is ranked above Alastair Cook’s side, while Sri Lanka has jumped to 95 points.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Thilanga Sumathipala said the victory wll have a “huge impact” on the entire cricket-crazy nation of 21 million people as he thanked Australia for touring the island nation.
Sri Lanka’s 3-0 whitewash of Australia means that Steven Smith’s team has fallen from No 1 to third, with 108 points.
Ominously he got a few to fizz and spin sharply off the wearing Sinhalese Sports Club pitch late on the third day and, along with Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan, will be a handful in the fourth innings. “He was fantastic with one leg, one leg was enough for him”. “He has been a great team man as well”, Mathews said after the end of the third Test.
Chandimal and Rangana Herath added 73 runs for the eighth wicket, deepening the frustration for Australia.
Advertisement
“We have been outplayed in every facet of the game”, a glum Australian skipper Steve Smith told reporters. “That helped me as well and gave me the guts to go out there and just let everyone know how capable I am”.
