Australia strike after handy lead of 86

You wouldn't know it to look at the wicket tally, but two full sessions have so far been lost in this Test. Two days, four sessions of play, 21 wickets taken. And enough afternoon rain to fill a dam. It was as if the weather gods were conspiring to stretch this Test to a fourth day. Or, come to that, a third. And despite Sri Lanka's fightback on day two, Australia still had the upper hand at stumps.

It was a day on which Sri Lanka's spinners dragged their side back into the contest after their miserable first-innings 117. Rangana Herath was always going to be a threat to Australia in this series and he ran through the top order before lunch. After lunch Lakshan Sandakan spun a web around the tail and prevented Australia extending their lead into triple figures.

Sandakan's 4 for 58 were the best figures ever by a left-arm wrist-spinner on Test debut, beating Chuck Fleetwood-Smith's 80-year-old record by six runs. Herath's 4 for 49 was no surprise to anyone, his mastery of drift and natural variation causing confusion for Australia. Australia were bowled out shortly before tea for 203, with a lead of 86.

The afternoon rain set in at the tea break, but not before Sri Lanka lost a wicket of their own. Kusal Perera, sent out to open instead of Dimuth Karunaratne, lasted only five balls before he was beaten for pace by Mitchell Starc, who trapped him lbw with a fullish delivery for 4. Karunaratne walked to the crease at first drop to join Kaushal Silva (2 not out) but before he could face a ball, the rain came.

If cricket is about timing, then Perera's could hardly have been worse. He had spent much of the afternoon keeping wicket after Dinesh Chandimal failed to emerge following the lunch break, a stomach complaint keeping him off the field. It was otherwise a pretty decent day for Sri Lanka, whose main problem was their own poor batting in the first innings.

The bowling of both sides, though, has been exemplary. Sri Lanka applied pressure right throughout the second day, Herath and Sandakan bewitching Australia with their variations and Nuwan Pradeep toiling admirably as the sole frontline fast man. Adam Voges was the only batsman from either side to last 100 balls on a pitch that was perfectly fine for batting.

Two Australians lost their cool, inexplicably trying to attack Herath before they were settled: Steven Smith in the second over of the day when he danced down the pitch, was beaten in flight while trying to smash one down the ground, and was stumped for 30; and Peter Nevill, who on 2 uncharacteristically tried to go over the infield and lofted a straightforward chance to mid-on.

Smith's departure meant Australia were under early pressure and Herath doubled it by trapping Usman Khawaja, the other not-out batsman overnight, in his next over. Coming around the wicket, Herath fired one in quicker and straighter. Khawaja failed to get his bat in the way, and was lbw for 26, having added only one to his score.

Voges, who had narrowly survived a big lbw shout first ball - Sri Lanka's review showed Herath's delivery was sliding just far enough down leg to remain with the umpire's not-out call - led Australia's steadying effort and had support initially from Mitchell Marsh. However, on 31 Marsh failed to pick Sandakan's wrong'un and was bowled to leave Australia at 130 for 5.

While Voges remained, Australia could dream of a healthy 100-plus first-innings lead, but he was the only Australian to fall to pace on day two, edging to gully when Pradeep found a little extra bounce. Voges had made 47 from 115 balls and would be one of seven Australians to reach double figures without any going on to post a half-century. Failure to convert starts is a pet peeve for coach Darren Lehmann.

The tail wagged a bit, Steve O'Keefe occupying the crease for 80 balls for his 23, Starc launching a six in his 11, and Nathan Lyon adding 17 useful runs. But they all found Sandakan hard to pick, and in the end he picked up all of their wickets. Starc edged a conventional wrist-spinner behind, O'Keefe was caught at bat-pad off a wrong'un, and Lyon was trapped lbw playing his favourite sweep shot.

Still, in a low-scoring Test a lead of 86 was not insignificant. And as Perera found out a few minutes later, Sri Lanka still had a mountain of work ahead of them to achieve parity.