Cricket: De Silva inspires recovery

SRI LANKA survived an early double blow to build a promising platform in their reply to Australia's first-innings total of 337 on the second day of the third and final Test at Colombo.

Despite the loss of 21 overs to the weather, the match is delicately poised after the home side mounted a recovery. Craig McDermott struck twice in his second over, removing Chandika Hathurusinghe and Asanka Gurusinha with successive deliveries, both of which reared off a length.

Aravinda de Silva and Roshan Mahanama dug in to build a third- wicket stand of 107 before being falling in quick succession. De Silva was bowled leg stump by Tony Dodemaide for 58, while Mahanama went back to a quicker delivery from off-spinner Greg Matthews and was leg before for 50.

Play began an hour late because of overnight rain, then Australia's last three wickets added 50 before they were dismissed 25 minutes after lunch for 337. Healy hung on for 203 minutes to score 71 before being last man out.

Champaka Ramanayake took 5 for 82, the fast-medium bowler's first five-wicket innings in a Test.

(Australia won the toss)

AUSTRALIA - First Innings

(Overnight: 287-8)

I A Healy c Jayasuriya b Muralitharan. . . . . . . . .71

S K Warne c Gurusinha b Ramanayake. . . . . . . . . . . . .7

A I C Dodemaide not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Extras (b3 lb9 nb10 w3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .337

Fall (cont): 9-302.

Bowling: Ramanayake 31-3-82-5; Liyanage 17-0-54-1; Hathurusinghe 21-8-50-1; Anurasiri 22-3-57-1; Muralitharan 15.1-2-58-1; Jayasuriya 2-0-9-0; Gurusinha 3-0-15-0.

SRI LANKA - First Innings

R S Mahanama lbw b Matthews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

U C Hathurusinghe c Boon b McDermott. . . . . . . . . .2

A P Gurusinha c Healy b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . .0

P A de Silva b Dodemaide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

H P Tillekeratne not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

* A Ranatunga not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Extras (lb2 nb3 w1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Total (for 4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Fall: 1-4 2-4 3-111 4-116.

Bowling: McDermott 14.3-2-54-2; Dodemaide 14-2- 56-1; Moody 3-0-8-0; Matthews 13-3-23-1.

Umpires: K T Francis and B C Cooray.