Australia moved closer to sealing a series whitewash on Day 3 of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. The spin duo of Matthew Kuhnemann (4/52) and Nathan Lyon (3/80) dismantled Sri Lanka’s batting lineup, leaving the hosts reeling at 211/8 by stumps, holding a slender lead of just 54 runs. Kusal Mendis (48*) once again showcased resilience, but a lack of support from the other end put Sri Lanka in a precarious position.

Sri Lanka’s Middle Order Falters Under Pressure

Post-tea, Sri Lanka added 113 runs but lost four crucial wickets in the process. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva started confidently alongside Angelo Mathews (76), who looked well set for a century. However, Kuhnemann’s brilliance with the ball led to de Silva’s dismissal, courtesy of a sharp edge to Steve Smith at slip, who took a stunning diving catch.

Mathews, despite his fluent knock, perished while attempting an aggressive sweep against Lyon, only to mistime it and hand a simple catch to Webster at short fine leg. His dismissal opened the floodgates, with Webster also chipping in with the ball to send Ramesh Mendis back to the pavilion.

While Kusal Mendis’ counterattack ensured Sri Lanka took the lead, the hosts remained in deep trouble. At the close of play, Kuhnemann struck again to dismiss Prabath Jayasuriya, leaving Sri Lanka with just two wickets in hand. Their only hope now lies in Mendis guiding the tail to stretch the lead beyond 120-130 runs, though that appears a tall order on a deteriorating surface.

Australia’s First-Innings Lead Proves Crucial

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka’s spinners made a strong comeback to restrict Australia’s first-innings lead to 157. The visitors, resuming at 330/3, seemed on course to breach the 500-run mark, but Prabath Jayasuriya (5/151) and Nishan Peiris (3/81) applied pressure with disciplined spells. Jayasuriya, in particular, bowled tirelessly to claim a five-wicket haul, making up for Sri Lanka’s struggles on Day 2 when Australia had already built a commanding position.

With just two wickets standing, Australia is now on the verge of wrapping up the match and sealing a dominant series victory.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka: 257 & 211/8 (Angelo Mathews 76; Matthew Kuhnemann 4/52, Nathan Lyon 3/80)
Australia: 414 (Alex Carey 156, Steve Smith 131; Prabath Jayasuriya 5/151)
Sri Lanka leads by 54 runs.