By Nick Mulvenney
HOBART, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka batted through the morning for the loss of just one wicket on Tuesday, reaching lunch at 144 for three in their pursuit of an imposing 393 for victory on the fifth and final day of the first test.
Mahela Jayawardene departed an hour before lunch after eking out 19 runs from 77 balls to leave Kumar Sangakkara (58 not out) and Thilan Samaraweera (17 not out) at the crease still 249 runs short of their target.
Peter Siddle was once again the pick of the Australian bowlers on an overcast morning at the Bellerive Oval and had the Sri Lanka skipper caught in the slips.
Australia skipper Michael Clarke, fielding despite the hamstring injury which brought a premature end to his second innings and has put him in doubt for the second test in Melbourne, got down well to take the catch.
Siddle and left-armer Mitchell Starc face a long, hard day of bowling after the third seamer Ben Hilfenhaus suffered a side strain on day three in Hobart.
Shane Watson is also likely to get plenty of overs as the hosts try and take the remaining seven wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sangakkara, who was dropped on three by Clarke on Monday, had another big scare on 54 when he was given out lbw to the all rounder Watson.
The TV umpire ruled on appeal, however, that the batsman’s leg had been outside the line of the off-stump when the ball hit his pad.
The 35-year-old’s 58 came from 206 balls as he edged carefully towards his 10,000th test run.
In a rare moment of expansiveness, the ICC Cricketer of the Year smashed a David Warner full toss for four to the midwicket boundary to bring up his 40th test half century.
Sri Lanka will need to set a new record for a fourth innings run chase at Hobart to claim their first ever test win in Australia.
The International Cricket Council said match referee Chris Broad had received no complaints about ball-tampering in the match.
The Sri Lankan team management privately expressed concerns on Monday evening about Australia’s treatment of the ball in the tourists’ first innings. (Editing by Ian Ransom)
