LIVE - Sri Lanka v Australia: 3rd Test – Sri Lanka put Australia into bat, Ponting dropped to number 4
Sri Lanka and Australia are all set to face off each other in the third and the final Test match of the series at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Friday, September 16.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 into bat, favouring his bowlers on a damp wicket in cloudy conditions.
Both sides have made major changes to their squads as well as batting orders. The hosts have dropped http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RT-Ponting-c2377 to number 4.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/NT-Paranavitana-c2132. Thirimanne, who made his Test debut in June this year, will be playing his first Test at home.
The home side has fielded a three-prong pace attack featuring http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559, who missed the second Test with a finger injury, has been called into the side.
Coming to the Australian camp, Peter Siddle has replaced injured http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Usman-Khawaja-c2729 has made way for Ponting’s return.
While it will be the 23rd Test match between the two oppositions, SSC will be hosting its 35th Test match.
The SSC ground of Colombo, which remains the headquarter of Sri Lankan Cricket, has been a great ally of Lankans as the hosts hold an impressive win-loss ratio of 17 to 6 at the venue after having played 35 Tests here, while 11 games ended in a draw.
The hosts have not lost a Test match at this venue since March 2004. Of the last 10 Test matches played at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, six finished in the hosts’ way while four were drawn.
The weather forecast for Colombo suggests scattered showers will threaten play throughout the five days, with each day bearing 60 per cent chances of rain. Temperature is expected to hang around 28 to 30 degrees Celsius with a high humidity level.
Sri Lanka, currently trailing Australia 0-1 in the series, must be eager to draw the series by winning this last Test match while the tourists will be seeking a draw or victory at SSC to confirm their series win.
Sri Lanka 1 Tharanga Paranavitana, 2 Lahiru Thirimanne, 3 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HAPW-Jayawardene-c1529 (wk), 8 Rangana Herath 9 Shaminda Eranga, 10
Suranga Lakmal, 11 Chanaka Welegedara.
Australia 1 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nathan-Michael-Lyon-c78822.
Tags: