Dinesh Chandimal smashed 118 not out and Kamindu Mendis produced a half-century in his debut Test to help Sri Lanka eclipse Australia’s first innings total of 364 on Day III of the second Test in Galle on Sunday.
The hosts finished the day on 431/6 for a lead of 67 after five of their top six batsmen registered 50-plus scores at the Galle International Stadium.
Chandimal added 83 runs with Angelo Mathews (52) and 133 with Kamindu (61) to keep alive Sri Lanka’s hopes of a series-levelling victory.
Chandimal hit nine fours and a six in his patient knock and had Ramesh Mendis giving him company on 7 at the other end at stumps.
Earlier, Nathan Lyon (2/160) extracted sharp turn from the track and one of his deliveries spun significantly from outside the off-stump to rap overnight batsman Kusal Mendis (85) on his pad.
The batsman reviewed the lbw decision but could not get it overturned.
Mitchell Starc (2/47) struck after the lunch break to snap the burgeoning Chandimal-Mathews stand.
