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Silva fifty helps Sri Lanka build strong lead

Sri Lanka have moved up one spot to No6.

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Australia also benefited from a review after left-arm spinner Jon Holland had Kusal Perera caught off a top edge which took the pads and went into the gloves of the wicket keeper.

Smith, who scored 119 runs in the first innings, retained his number-one ranking.

The day belonged to Silva who, after scores of 4,7,5,2 and 0 in the last five innings, cover-drove an Adam Voges full toss to bring up his third test fifty in 251 balls.

Having conceded a first innings lead of 24 runs, Sri Lanka are now leading by 288 runs, already a formidable chase for the visitors on a wearing, final-day pitch.

De Silva and Chandimal, who scored 194 and 175 runs in the match respectively – had to absorb vast pressure (that of falling wickets) in both innings.

It took Sri Lanka all of 44.1 overs to bundle the beleaguered Australians for 160.

Sri Lanka, who completed a 3-0 whitewash over Australia in a home series on Wednesday, are in sixth position at 95 points.

Sri Lanka’s hopes of adding a flurry of quick runs rest with Dhananjaya de Silva, whose 129 in the first innings was his first test hundred.

Kaushal Silva’s gritty 115 played a big part in Sri Lanka registering their first series sweep against a major side since gaining Test status in 1981.

The pair of Silva and Karunaratne has been at fault through four of the six innings in this series, with the Pereras stepping up in the second innings of the first (Kusal) and third (Dilruwan) Tests.

“It’s been a tough series”, Smith said after Australia exposed their spin frailties and slumped to their ninth consecutive Test defeat in Asia.

The teams now play five One-Day Internationals with the first of those games on August 21, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Veteran spinner Rangana Herath led the Sri Lankan attack, snaring six wickets, with Australia all out for 379 in response to Sri Lanka’s 355. With 28 wickets from three Test matches, he has single handedly demolished the opposition.

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“Well, there’s always people who are going to say something like that, but I don’t think it’s contrary to the spirit of cricket”, he said.

Kaushal Silva returns to form with century against Australia