Sri Lanka was 2 for 65 chasing 393 for victory at stumps on day four of the first Test against Australia in Hobart.
The tourists require a further 328 runs for victory with Kumar Sangakkara to resume the final day on 18 alongside captain Mahela Jayawardene on 5.
Australia earlier made 9 for 278 in its second innings, with skipper Michael Clarke retiring with a right hamstring strain on 57.
He will have scans this evening with the results available some time tomorrow.
Look back on how we covered the fourth day (all times AEDT).
Sri Lanka needs 328 with 8 wickets in handD. Karunaratne 30
K. Sangakkara 18*
T. Dilshan 11
S. Watson 1-10 (9 overs)
M. Starc 1-21 (10 overs)
M. Hussey 0-5 (1 over)
D. Warner 68
M. Clarke 57 (ret hurt)
E. Cowan 56
R. Herath 5-96 (21.5 overs)
C. Welegedara 3-89 (22 overs)
S. Eranga 1-52 (11 overs)
T. Dilshan 147
A. Mathews 75
P. Jayawardene 40
P. Siddle 5-54 (25.3 overs)
N. Lyon 2-76 (25 overs)
B. Hilfenhaus 1-30 (12.2 overs)
Australia 5-450 dec. (131 overs)
M. Hussey 115*
P. Hughes 86
M. Clarke 74
C. Welegedara 3-130 (26 overs)
S. Eranga 1-90 (25 overs)
T. Dilshan 0-30 (7 overs)
7:00pm: That's it from day four at Bellerive. Australia is a bowler down and has eight wickets to take on the final day - sound familiar? They only needed six on the fifth day in Adelaide but were stonewalled by Faf du Plessis, who scored a brilliant unbeaten century on debut to earn the Proteas a draw. Will the Aussies be frustrated once again or will they pull of their first victory of the summer? Be sure to join us on day five to find out. Bye for now.
6:42pm: Peter Newlinds also spoke with Sri Lankan left-arm orthodox spinner Rangana Herath, who took his wicket tally to the year to 60 with 5 for 96:
6:17pm:
@jimmaxcricket More Sri lankans likely to get BOWLED than caught on boot park guzunderville tomorrow. Commentators will be on lookout. Goodnight good luck6:07pm: Peter Newlinds is speaking with Australian coach Mickey Arthur:
I thought we were very good today, we obviously tried to put the foot down a bit and get as many runs as we could to give ourselves the maximum time to bowl them out. You've got to think hopefully there's eight balls of wickets on tomorrow, so let's hope we can clinch it.
Arthur says Michael Clarke will head off now for a scan on his right hamstring strain, with the results hopefully to be known tomorrow.
Ben Hilfenhaus's side strain will rule him out of the Boxing Day Test.
6:03pm: Stumps. Sri Lanka gets there on 2 for 65 from 37 overs. 328 more needed for victory from 90 overs on the final day.
6:00pm: Watson will bowl the last over of the day.
5:56pm: Mike Hussey replaces Siddle from the Church St End. He's taken seven wickets in 77 Tests. Jayawardene takes a four from his third delivery - it's been a long while between drinks for boundaries.
5:48pm: The lights are on at Bellerive. "Is this a forerunner to twilight cricket we're seeing here?" Drew asks. "I think it's the future," Kerry replies. "I hope not, but I think it is."
5:45pm: My word, Mahela has a run! Only took him 25 deliveries.
5:38pm: It's another maiden - Sri Lanka 2 for 57 with Sangakkara 16 off 71 and Jayawardene yet to score from 19 deliveries. A far cry from their usual output:
@RicFinlay Only 5 pairs have scored 5000 runs in p'ship together (all wkts). Mahela/Sanga have the highest av of these, 5628 runs @ 56.28 b4 this Test5:35pm: Wow. That ball didn't bounce at all from Watson. There was some sort of a nick too - it may have hit the toe of the bat. Testing times here for the Sri Lankans.
5:33pm: A maiden there from Peter Siddle and Jayawardene's still to get off the mark after 18 deliveries. The third delivery swerved dramatically off the pitch, leaving both batsman and bowler with bemused grins.
5:21pm: Confirmation that Michael Clarke needs to score a measly 300 runs in the Boxing Day Test to surpass Mohammad Yousuf's calendar year record of 1,788 runs. Clarke currently has 1,489 at 106.4 after he retired hurt on 57 today. Ricky Ponting has the Australian record of 1,544 in 2005.
5:17pm: Four to Sangakkara. His first of the innings. 11 off 53 balls now. Mahela Jayawardene yet to get off the mark.
5:04pm: Bowls him! Starc yorks Karunaratne who is beaten for pace and loses his off peg. On his bike for 30. 2 for 47.
5:00pm: A maiden there from Mitch Starc. Sangakkara still mired on 5. Sri Lanka 1 for 44.
4:53pm: Sri Lanka's reached 1 for 40 after 20 overs. Sangakkara has been tied down very well by Australia - 5 off 32 balls.
4:45pm: Cricket Tasmania has tweeted that Bellerive entry will be free for children under 16 on day five. Adult/concession tickets will be $10.
4:43pm: Sri Lanka's 1 for 38 at drinks, needing a further 355 to win. Karunaratne's on 23 and Sangakkara 4.
4:37pm: Dropped. That's a sitter and Michael Clarke puts it down at first slip. This hamstring has to be bothering him more than we know because his movement was non-existent and that was a dolly. Lyon despairs as Karunaratne gets a life on 21.
4:33pm: Four bits. Watson gets it nice and straight and Karunaratne shows superb timing to get it away. Sri Lanka 1 for 35.
4:20pm: The Sri Lankans test the arm of David Warner again and come up trumps - some how. First innings he had one stump to aim at on a couple of occasions - this time he's got all three but can't hit the timber. Karunaratne would have been out by a long way.
4:17pm: Nathan Lyon's on and the tourists take one off his first. 1 for 28.
4:13pm: Kumar Sangakkara gets off the mark. Karunaratne's on 15.
4:09pm: Out! Shane Watson's only just come on to bowl and the impact is immediate as he gets the big scalp of Tillakaratne Dilshan. Elementary outside edge for dear Watson.
4:00pm: Not out. There's a blatant nick on the replay and that's a waste. One referral left for Australia.
3:59pm: Referral. Big lbw shout by Peter Siddle on Karunaratne. A shake of the head from the umpire and Clarke meets with his bowler before signalling for the DRS.
3:57pm: Sri Lanka 0 for 24 after seven overs. Karunaratne 14 and Dilshan 10.
3:49pm: Ridiculous from Starc. Clearly frustrated, he pings the ball back at Karunaratne and smashes him in the legs. He then turns his back on the batsman before being urged by the umpire to apologise. Uncalled for.
3:48pm: Thick inside edge there off Karunaratne's bat and it flies over the stumps and down to the boundary for four. No chance for a diving Matt Wade.
3:43pm: Sri Lanka has successfully negotiated the first four overs to be 0 for 15. Another 378 needed. Karunaratne 10 and Dilshan 5.
@jimmaxcricket Antarctic end of boot park pitch is a Monty for nicking onto the poles again. Big innings for Lyon to get top order wkts3:35pm: The highest successful run chase at this ground remains Australia's 6 for 369 against Pakistan in 1999/2000, when Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist staged THAT partnership (scorecard here):
3:28pm: The Test we were referring to earlier is the 2nd in the 2007/08 series - Sri Lanka racked up 410 chasing 507 for victory at Bellerive. Kumar Sangakkara was dismissed for 192 and got a dodgy decision by all reports. Scorecard here.
3:25pm: It's Mitchell Starc bowling the first ball to Dimuth Karunaratne.
3:24pm: Michael Clarke is on the field for Australia, so that's a good sign.
3:23pm: "I just hope that Australia hasn't underestimated the opposition," Drew Morphett says. "We only have to think back to five years ago when they scored over 400 in a fourth innings of a Test match." We'll have more details on that for you in a sec.
3:20pm: Grandstand's Peter Walsh has spoken with Meg Lanning, who as we mentioned earlier scored a whirlwind century in Australia's nine-wicket thrashing of New Zealand in the third ODI:
D. Warner 68
M. Clarke 57 (ret hurt)
E. Cowan 56
R. Herath 5-96 (21.5 overs)
C. Welegedara 3-89 (22 overs)
S. Eranga 1-52 (11 overs)
T. Dilshan 147
A. Mathews 75
P. Jayawardene 40
P. Siddle 5-54 (25.3 overs)
N. Lyon 2-76 (25 overs)
B. Hilfenhaus 1-30 (12.2 overs)
Australia 5-450 dec. (131 overs)
M. Hussey 115*
P. Hughes 86
M. Clarke 74
C. Welegedara 3-130 (26 overs)
S. Eranga 1-90 (25 overs)
T. Dilshan 0-30 (7 overs)
3:05pm: Out. Ben Hilfenhaus is trapped lbw by Rangana Herath, who finishes with 5 for 96. He moves past England's Graeme Swann to top the 2012 wicket-taking list with 60. Australia 9 for 278, which is technically all out after Michael Clarke retired hurt. Sri Lanka has to score 393 runs from about 130 overs to win this match. That'll be tea.
2:55pm: It's not good news on Michael Clarke:
@CricketAus Update: Dave Bailey, S&C coach says @mclarke23 has a right hamstring injury which is being assessed by team medical staff #AUSvSL2:53pm: Out! Nathan Lyon is bowled for 11. Herath joins England's Graeme Swann at the top of the 2012 wicket-taking tree on 59. Is the injured Ben Hilfenhaus going to have a hit? Yes.
2:45pm: Have been wanting to mention this for about 10 minutes now but the Aussies selfishly keep losing wickets. Meg Lanning has produced an amazing innings for the Southern Stars in the 3rd women's ODI against New Zealand at North Sydney Oval. She racked up a century off just 45 balls, scoring 90 of her runs in boundaries. She was just dismissed for 103 from 49. Scorecard here.
2:42pm: Gone. The DRS says that's clipping leg and Starc is on his way for 5. Australia 7 for 256, leading by 370.
2:41pm: Out!? That appeared plumb lbw but Mitchell Starc wants to go upstairs? Did he hit it?
2:37pm: Out! Peter Siddle goes for 4 as Prasanna Jayawardene takes a nice diving catch to his right behind the stumps. Welegedara gets the wicket.
2:32pm: Is Hussey going to take up the mantle? Yup. Bang, six. "Mr Remorseless," Jim reckons.
2:31pm: Clarke retires hurt on 57. Let's hope this doesn't have long-term repercussions for the rest of the summer. Australia 5 for 238.
2:29pm: Clarke calls for the physio Alex Kontouris. Right hamstring tightness apparently. Sri Lanka will be praying he goes off. He does.
2:28pm: Full toss. Dispatched. "Don't bowl a full toss to Michael Clarke, that's just fruit for the sideboard," Drew exclaims. Welegedara's the culprit.
2:26pm: 50 for Clarke. Just 43 balls. "This might be the fastest Test half-century Michael Clarke has ever made," Drew says. What price for a century?
2:24pm: Clarke is seeing the ball like a watermelon. He pummels Herath for a four and then a six. "We can't use the term Bradmanesque can we, because nobody is Bradmanesque," Kerry says. He's on 48 off 42. Australia 5 for 228.
2:20pm: Kerry is naming his best top seven for Australia since the 1950s. He's got Bob Simpson and Matthew Hayden opening, with some bloke named Bradman at first drop. Then comes Greg Chappell, Michael Clarke, Allan Border and Adam Gilchrist. No room for RT Ponting? "Leave Bradman out for Ponting," Drew jokes. "That'll get them talking." No Waugh boys either. "Any team that leaves the Waugh brothers out is giong pretty well," Kerry admits. Listen to the full chat here.
2:18pm: Not out. That was hitting him outside the line and Sri Lanka has "spent all their bikkies" as Drew Morphett puts it. No more referrals.
2:16pm: "I've been impressed with Herath, Drew, I think he's gone about his work much better. He's got the three and he could get two or three more," Kerry O'Keeffe says. Just after he says that Herath goes up for lbw on Clarke. The ump's not interested but Sri Lanka is. We're going upstairs.
2:12pm: That's drinks with Australia 5 for 208. The lead is 322 runs. Clarke's on 29 and Hussey 11. There's two names I've typed quite a bit this summer.
2:06pm: A full toss comes out all wrong for Herath and Clarke clubs it to the boundary to move to 27. The 200 comes up for the home team and the lead is 216.
2:04pm: That one flies off Clarke's leading edge and rockets down to extra cover for four. Certainly some intent there from the Aussie skipper as he moves to 21.
1:53pm: There's talk Australia may be pushing for a lead in the vicinity of 350 but Brett Geeves doesn't think that's enough. "I'm a bit confused why there's this sudden push for runs by the Australians." The lead has just gone past 300. Earlier we asked what sort of a target Australia should set - here's some of your responses:
@HRobertsonEsq If they can score 175-200 by tea, leaves target of 300 w 4 sessions to bowl them out. But do we need more w reduced attack?
@iNtinibite They've got enough now, but keep batting until drinks in the last session tomorrow. Plenty of time to bowl Sri Lanka out.
@bryan_scc Bowling Sri Lanka out will be difficult so we need to tease them a bit. Set them 380 with a declaration at tea #goaussies
@bearspitroast The target the Australians need to get are the three stumps! #ausvsl
@gsdavo1975 Michael Clarke should declare with a total just enough to keep Sri Lanka interested but enough to make it tough to get.
@DaneChallenor bat for another hour then get Sri Lanka in. Hopefully we have a lead of around 350. Peter Siddle up for a 10 wicket game?
@PatrickBalzen close to 400 but not in excess. Entice the Lankans to think of victory on an odd deck. #ausvsl
1:49pm: Out! Matthew Wade is caught by Kulasekara at long on as Herath gets his third scalp.
1:34pm: Bowls him! Phil Hughes chops on and he loses his poles for the second time this match. Eranga strikes and the little number three goes for 16. Australia 4 for 165. Now we see Michael Clarke.
1:30pm: Australia's 3 for 158 with Hughes 15 and Wade 3. The lead is 272. Jim Maxwell's back in the commentary box and points out that Herath has Watson's number - terrorised him in Sri Lanka and has now got him second knock here.
1:25pm: Another attacking move by Michael Clarke - out comes Matthew Wade to up this scoring rate.
1:23pm: Out! Shane Watson is gone for 5, stumped by Jayawardene off the bowling of Herath. Watto didn't get his foot back over the line and he's got to go. "I think he's played to a little bit of spin and it's gone straight on. Watson's biggest crime there was to drag the toe, when he should have just kept it stationary. That's just lazy, not focused cricket," Lawson says.
1:22pm: It's all happening here for Watson - he survives another lbw shout (it looked pretty close) before the square leg umpire goes upstairs for a stumping appeal.
1:20pm: "I'm not picking on you Watto, but two centuries and 18 fifties in 66 innings," Drew Morphett continues. "I'd also add to our discussion Drew that it's been 33 innings since Shane Watson made a Test hundred. He's becoming the Bruce Reid of batsmen," Lawson adds.
1:18pm: Geoff Lawson points out that Watson has been dismissed about 19 per cent of his innings - he says that's about double the going rate for Test batsmen with "50-plus digs".
1:14pm: Shaminda Eranga is going to bowl from the northern end. Australia 2 for 147 with Hughes 10 and Watson 2.
1:13pm: Not out. The decision is overturned. Missing by quite some way according to the DRS.
@GrootenboerP Another shocking decision by the umpires - not even close1:12pm: Out!? Watson leaves and is struck on the pads. Tony Hill has a good long look before giving it. Watson appeals.
1:10pm: We're underway in the second session. It's Rangana Herath beginning his 10th over, bowling to Phil Hughes. Just the one slip in place.
12:40pm: For those of you wanting to listen to the lads' chat from earlier with Cricket Tasmania chairman Tony Harrison, here it is:
D. Warner 68
E. Cowan 56
P. Hughes 9*
R. Herath 1-34 (9 overs)
C. Welegedara 1-44 (15 overs)
T. Dilshan 0-2 (2 overs)
T. Dilshan 147
A. Mathews 75
P. Jayawardene 40
P. Siddle 5-54 (25.3 overs)
N. Lyon 2-76 (25 overs)
B. Hilfenhaus 1-30 (12.2 overs)
Australia 5-450 dec. (131 overs)
M. Hussey 115*
P. Hughes 86
M. Clarke 74
C. Welegedara 3-130 (26 overs)
S. Eranga 1-90 (25 overs)
T. Dilshan 0-30 (7 overs)
12:30pm: That's lunch with Australia 2 for 146. Hughes 9 and Watson 2. The lead is 260 runs.
12:17pm: Tony Harrison says a set time for the Hobart Test match would help promote it better. He would also prefer it to be in the New Year, "when the weather is much more stable here". He admits that's not going to happen though.
12:14pm: Bowls him! Cowan is knocked over by Welegedara. No century in front of the home crowd today for steady Eddie, who goes for 58. Australia 2 for 140.
12:10pm: Tony Harrison admits Tassie won't get a Test next summer when Australia hosts the Ashes, but he's hopeful in 2014. India is due then for a four-Test series but Harrison says Cricket Australia is negotiating to get another nation out here.
12:07pm: Phil Hughes got off the mark immediately, by the way, with a thick outside edge for two. He's currently 4 and Cowan's on 55 with the score 1 for 137. The lead is 251.
12:02pm: The lads are speaking with Cricket Tasmania chairman Tony Harrison, who admits he would have loved to have seen more people attend this Test. He says ticketing prices will be discussed with Cricket Australia after many baulked at the $43 general admission price just before Christmas. But he doesn't believe that's over the top: "This is an international sporting fixture and the price is not expensive when you consider that," he said. We'll post the full chat for you once they're done.
11:58am: Out! David Warner gets a top edge to that Herath delivery and he's caught behind for 68. Australia 1 for 132.
11:53am: Warner switch hits Herath for four. Audacious shot to move to 66.
@PeterNewlinds Cowan's broad blade & silky touch and Warner's cocktail of application and explosion is working well.11:50am: 50 for Cowan. Cheeky shot as he opens the blade and it runs away fine to the boundary.
11:46am: Six! Warner gets down on one knee and lofts Herath over long-on. It's only so long you can tie this man down.
11:39am: 50 for Warner. Poor bowling by Welegedara, who drops short again. Warner doesn't need to move anything but his shoulders as he smashes it to the boundary.
11:33am: Cowan brings up the 100 partnership with a pull shot for four - Kulasekara drops short and it gets the treatment. He's on 46 and Warner 45. It's their second century stand in Test cricket.
11:19am: Five runs off that Herath over and Australia's reached 0 for 87 at drinks, leading by 201. Warner 40 and Cowan 38.
11:15am: Finally we see the ball thrown to the left-arm orthodox spinner Rangana Herath. He replaces Angelo Mathews at the River End. Will Warner go after him?
11:09am: Not out. Looking at Hot Spot, the noise appears to be Cowan's bat hitting his pad. Sri Lanka wastes another one. If only they'd done it late yesterday when the Tasmanian was plumb lbw.
11:08am: Video appeal. Not sure what the Sri Lankans are going for here because there was a noise as the ball went past Cowan and then the wicky has collected the ball and thrown it at the stumps. Geoff Lawson says the noise was "paddy" in the effects mic.
11:05am: Jim and Geoff are off the opinion that Australia will be aiming for a declaration at tea or just after tea.
11:00am: The brakes well and truly applied here by the visitors - Cowan has scored one run in the past seven overs. Australia 0 for 79, with Cowan on 34 and Warner 36. The lead is 193.
10:48am: Angelo Mathews and Nuwan Kulasekara have helped dry things up nicely for Sri Lanka - just eight runs from the last five overs after a rollicking start. Australia 0 for 74 after 25, leading by 188.
10:35am: Our guest commentator Brett Geeves is a bit put out about being left off the invite list for social engagements during this Test. Kerry O'Keeffe reckons he knows why.
10:34am: Good first over from the heir apparent Angelo Mathews, with just one run taken by Warner. Hadn't been a good start for Sri Lanka.
10:31am:
@RiFinlay ECowan and DWarner complete their 5th 50+ 1st wkt p'ship in 19 stands. Not Hayden and Langer yet, but they look good on the 4th morning10:25am: Bad over from Welegedara - Cowan takes two boundaries from it to motor to 32. Australia 0 for 61 after 20 overs.
10:20am: Eranga concedes four leg byes off the pads of Warner and the 50 comes up for Australia without the loss of a wicket for just the second time this summer.
10:16am: Cowan gets in on the act now with his own cut to the boundary. Nice shot. Not too many demons in this pitch early doors for the Aussie batsmen. 0 for 44 after four overs this morning.
10:12am: What sort of a target should Australia set? Tell us on Twitter (@abcgrandstand, #abccricket) or Facebook (abcgrandstand) and we'll publish some of your responses right here.
10:09am: Pitched up by Eranga again and it's more of the same from Warner, who thrashes it through backward point for four to join Cowan on 16.
10:08am: That was a maiden from Welegedara. You can listen to our live commentary stream here. Access our live scorecard here.
10:04am: Chanaka Welegedara will operate from the Church St End. He was Sri Lanka's most successful bowler in the first innings with three wickets, but also the most expensive.
10:03am: Eranga pitches up on the last ball of the over and Warner drives it square of the wicket to the boundary for the first runs of the day. 0 for 31 and a lead of 145.
10:00am: We're underway on day four with Shaminda Eranga bowling to David Warner.
9:55am: Earlier Grandstand's Peter Newlinds caught up with offy Nathan Lyon, who says the Aussies head into day four in a positive frame of mind as they chase their first victory of the summer:
9:50am: The weather looks a treat in the Tasmanian capital this morning - let's hope it stays that way.
@RoshanCricket Its a beautiful day in Hobart again with blue skies and the sun shining. The derwent looks calm and blue from where we are.9:39am: After Tillakaratne Dilshan's century, it was up to the hard-working Peter Siddle to regain Australia's advantage and he did so with the usual tenacity, picking up 5 for 54. After stumps, he told Grandstand's Peter Newlinds that today's morning session will be crucial:
I think to get a good result and give ourselves enough time to get them out, I think [I'll be bowling in the afternoon on day four]. At the other end, of course, you've got to get a good enough score to defend, so it depends how we go about in the morning I guess
9:35am: Miss any of yesterday's action? Check out our blog, and our video highlights package below:
9:30am: Happy Monday to you all. Joel Zander here to bring you all the day four action from Bellerive. Hopefully it will be a day without weather interruptions - only 40 per cent chance of rain, and even then, only a drop or two at most expected. Play's expected to start at 10:00am, 30 minutes early as we make up for the weather delays on day one and two.
Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia, sri-lanka First posted December 17, 2012 09:30:52
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