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    Over 123 Welegedera 1-1-0-0-1-4

    440-5 - Haddin a bit lucky that Welegedera failed to get his boot across to a Hussey drive, because the ball strikes the stumps with Haddin out of his crease. It deflects away for a single, and then Haddin goes the aerial route to clip a full delivery over midwicket for four.

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    Over 122 Herath 0-1-1-0-1-0

    433-5 - Herath continues to slog away manfully - this is his 46th over, and he still has enough energy to chase one down off his own bowling as Hussey comes down the pitch to jab into the vacant cover region for a single.

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    Over 121 Welegedera 0-1-0-0-0-0

    430-5 - As expected, no tea time declaration. So Welegedera picks up the 'attack', and Hussey drives the second ball nicely through cover-point for a single, leaving him 19 short of another ton. You'd think that Clarke will declare once that landmark comes up.

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    Tea, Day Five

    The Aussies head into the break on 429 for five and a 272-run lead. Just the loss of Clarke in the middle session. We'd really like to see a bold declaration from him, but that's not going to happen any time soon. Instead, Hussey will get the chance to land back-to-back tons. The pitch, really, is a tarmac - and the thought of Sri Lanka playing Pakistan across similar conditions in the UAE makes me want to throw in the towel.

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    Over 120 Herath 0-0-0-0-0-0

    429-5 - There's a deep midwicket stationed on the fence now, with the spinner's latest ploy to have Haddin go big over the on-side stifled by the batsman's choice to instead deadbat the entire over to bring on the tea break.

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    Over 119 Lakmal 0-1nb-4-2-1-0-0

    429-5 - The seamer is going to have another go and Dilshan and company will hope he can send down a better length than the short stuff he coughed up earlier today. He does correct his approach, too much so, delivering a fat half-volley for Haddin to lace down the ground for four. All very predictable, this. The captains must have a chat at the tea break. Clarke will want to afford Hussey an opportunity to reach three figures, but after that it's handshaking time, I hope.

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    Over 118 Herath 0-4-0-2-0-1

    421-5 - Haddin, on the sweep, endures a shout for lbw but it pitched well outside leg-stump, so umpire Hill keeps his finger down - rightly so. The right-hander bites back with a full flow of the willow through the on-side for four and then plugs a couple to no-man's land on the off-side. The bowler is always in with a chance when the hot-and-cold wicketkeeper-batsman is on strike.

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    Over 117 Eranga 0-0-0-0-0-1

    414-5 - Hussey and Haddin seemed to have settled on an agreement of sorts: the left-hander will face the spinner and the right-hander can see off the seamer for the most part.

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    Over 116 Herath 0-2-0-0-6-0

    413-5 - Hussey doesn't quite get it right the first time, settling for a skewed two, but the next time around gets it very right in going big down the ground for his first six of the day. On 80 not out, he really couldn't be presented with a better opportunity to land three figures here.

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    Over 115 Eranga 2-1-0-0-0-0

    405-5 - Haddin, again, on the defence. This is a thankless job for the seamer - bowling across trying conditions with a draw looming. Shame. Rather him than me.

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    Over 114 Herath 0-0-1-0-0-0

    402-5 - The spinner brings the mid-on fielder forward a couple of metres in a bid to to lure Haddin into the hit over the top. The wicketkeeper-batsman, determined to find some form, won't budge, instead blocking out the over.

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    Over 113 Eranga 0-1-4-0-0-0

    401-5 - Haddin rides his luck first ball up with a thick edge through slip and gully for four fortunate runs and with that the team 400 arrives. The lead is closing in on 250, meanwhile. One breakthrough could lead to another here, so Sri Lanka must stay alert amid a tendency to go through the motions.

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    Over 112 Herath 1-0-0-0-0-W

    396-5 - It's time for some real spin, with Dilshan and Paranavitana taking a backseat to Herath's return to the attack. Hussey and Clarke, understandably, treat the turner with a greater deal of respect than they did the part-timers. Until, that is, Clarke fancies a fat dip down the ground. WICKET! He doesn't have the carry, though, and succeeds only in holing out to mid-on. He danced down the crease, but didn't meet the ball at its pitch. A bit of turn did the trick for Herath. That's the end of a 176-run stand. Haddin in now. Herath has the sixth five-wicket haul of his Test career.

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    Over 111 Eranga 1-0-0-0-0-0

    395-4 - A rare error from Clarke almost has him chop one onto his stumps. It was more the lack of bounce than the seam movement that bothered the centurion, but he quickly shakes it off to leave the rest of the over alone. Meanwhile, Sangakkara offers a bit of a verbal stick. The Aussies bites back with some lip of his own. Umpire Dar steps in and puts and end to the momentary spat.

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    Over 110 Paranavitana 4-1-0-1-1-0

    394-4 - Sri Lanka have some issues with the ball, which seems to have lost its shape a bit. Little wonder, given the amount of times it has travelled to the fence of late. Hussey, meanwhile, fetches four more by dancing down the track to heave through midwicket.

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    Over 109 Eranga 0-1-1-0-0-0

    387-4 - We'd all love to see a bold declaration from Clarke, but he won't yet. Instead, more batting practice ensues and a chance for Hussey to match his captain in three figures.

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    Over 108 Paranavitana 0-0-2-1-0-0

    385-4 - With the lone wicket of Pakistan's Younis Khan to show for his part-time Test match off-spin, the opening batsman has another go. Not to bad from him. At least he has kept the boundaries at the bat for the time being. Drinks break, meanwhile.

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    Over 107 Eranga 0-2-0-0-0-0

    382-4 - Hussey blocking and picking the gaps at will here and this really is turning into a bit of a farcical period. I'd dare to say that Sri Lanka are not even trying and these are really freebie runs for the Aussies.

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    Over 106 Dilshan 0-4-0-4-1-0

    380-4 - Hussey on the sweep again and again to fetch a couple of fours in bringing up his half-century. It's the 26th 50 of his Test career and he will soon start to think about a 15th Test century. Matthew Hayden is the only Aussie to have landed a ton in each innings of a Test match against Sri Lankan thus far. Meanwhile, the centurion and half-centurion have the highest ever fifth wicket stand for Australia against the Sri Lankans in a Test. Their unbeaten 160-run alliance has pipped the feat put together by Allan Border and the late David Hookes many, many years ago.

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    Over 105 Eranga 0-0-0-0-0-0

    371-4 - Just the one over for the freelance seamer, with the full-time option back into the attack with a maiden. Clarke all defence and, with the draw pretty much secured, this is all batting practice for the Aussies from here on in.

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    Over 104 Dilshan 0-1-0-0-0-0

    371-4 - The Sri Lankan captain returns himself to the attack in the hope of breakthrough. No go, though. Hussey nor Clarke will be bothered with entertaining Dilshan's hope.

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    Over 103 Thirimanne 0-1-1-0-1-4

    370-4 - With no Samaraweera around to float through his gentle off-spin, Dilshan gives Thirimanne his first bowl in Test cricket. The opening batsman offers some gentle seam, with Hussey cashing in by working four down the ground to bring up his 150-run alliance with Clarke.

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    Over 102 Herath 0-0-0-1-0-0

    363-4 - Centurion and sidekick enjoy a breather of sorts, merrily blocking their way through a tighter over from Herath. Their stand is at 143 now at a heavy rate of 5.10 to the over. Very un-Test match, indeed.

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    Over 101 Lakmal 0-2-0-4-1wd-0-0

    362-4 - Lakmal won't learn and again coughs up the short stuff for Hussey to pound away on the pull. He still doesn't change his length, banging in a wayaward bouncer that balloons over the left-hander's head for a wide. Then a full toss and this has quickly turned into a horrible spell from the right-armer. Time for a change of bowling from this end, me thinks. We've had all of 44 runs form the last four overs.

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    Over 100 Herath 1-1-0-4b-0-4

    355-4 - Four byes, with the wicketkeeper peeved as an ugly leg-side line races through him and to the fence. Then, right on cue, Clarke dances down the track to bang four over the top and go to his ton. It's the 15th of his career, his first as captain of his country and his first in well over a year. 139 balls, 14 fours and three sixes to get to this one. He is elated and punches the air in triumph. The Aussie dressing room are up on their feet in appreciative applause.

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    Over 99 Lakmal 2-1-3-4-0-4

    345-4 - Lakmal is back into the attack. Hussey milks a couple to thirdman and then turns a single around the corner to afford Clarke his chance to reach three figures. The right-hander obliges on the drive, not quite finding the middle but fetching three regardless - two runs away from a long-awaited century now. Back on strike, Hussey goes on the pull to a weak short ball. He is a little late on it, with four runs off the top edge spooning to the fence. Then another short ball, which doesn't lift as much as its predecessor. The left-hander ducks straight into it. Ouch. The ball meets the back of the helmet and a shaken Hussey is quite shaken, eventually walking it off. Lakmal later keeps the short stuff coming, with the third bouncer on the trot planked away for four by Hussey, who is quick to reassert his dominance after that savage blip to the pip. 'The Huss' has more than 400 runs for the series now - that's a record.

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    Over 98 Herath 0-0-1-4-6-2

    331-4 - Deep in his crease, Clarke welcomes the width and length to pounce for four on the cut in bringing up the century stand. He is not done there, later dancing down the track to heave his third six of the day over long-on - it's by far the biggest of the lot. And with that he is into the nervous 90s.

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    Over 97 Welegedera 1-0-0-4-0-0

    318-4 - Clarke wants to beat deep mid-off on the drive but his timing nor placement are good enough. So, he opts through mid-on but that's not on target neither as Lakmal flummoxes the right-hander with a slower ball. A rank full delivery is more than ample for the captain to pinpoint down the ground, though, and with that he has his highest Test score in his last 24 Test knocks. He has passed the 80 he racked up against England in Adelaide late last year.

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    Over 96 Herath 0-0-0-0-1-0

    313-4 - Just a single off the over as Hussey eventually pushes through for one. Remarkable patience from the left-hander, who goes about his knock with such methodical precision. One wonders if the Aussies will look to accelerate in due course - thus, maybe, pushing for a win with the ball later. Unlikely, though possible.

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    Over 95 Welegedera 1-0-0-0-0-4

    312-4 - A stroke very characteristic of Clarke's stay at the crease closes the over, with Welegedera's full length copping due punishment as the impending centurion affords himself a full flow through the line on the drive for four.

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    Over 94 Herath 0-0-0-0-4-0

    307-4 - Clarke enjoys another lifeline, with Jayawardene fluffing another stumping chance. The right-hander darted down the track, the rip from the rough did him in, but the wicketkeeper couldn't gather to whip the bails off with the batsman a Country Mile out of his crease.

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    First Session, Day Five

    All and sundry back out in the middle after a quick bite to eat. Clarke pretty much has that 150-run lead he was after and will now be chasing something in the region of 250 and, of course, his first Test ton since the one he landed against the Kiwis in March last year.

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    Lunch, Day Five

    So Clarke and Hussey have done entirely well to stave off Sri Lanka's advances on the back of Hughes' wicket. The right-hander is in some sublime form at the crease, and looks dead set for his first Test century in well over a year. The draw, more than ever, seems the most likely result, but the new ball might dictate otherwise after the break. Stick around for the entertainment.

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    Over 93 Dilshan 1-0-0-4-0-0

    303-4 - Dilshan coughs up something too full, which Hussey obliges for four with a fluid drive to bring up the team 300 and close the first session in fine style.

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    Over 92 Herath 0-1-0-1-0-1

    298-4 - More chopping and changing to the attack, with Herath back from the same end. Hussey wants the pull, misses, and endures a big shout for lbw. Close call, but umpire Hill keeps his finger down. Sri Lanka, remember, have no reviews left.

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    Over 91 Dilshan 0-0-0-0-0-1

    296-4 - The captain and part-time spinner takes matters - and the new ball - into his own hands. It's a premature move, me thinks, and Hussey is content to deadbat anything and everything churned out before him.

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    Over 90 Lakmal 1-0-1-4-0-4

    295-4 - Wise move from Dilshan, who returns his best seamer to the attack. There is a deep point in place in a seven-two field - and that's a very defensive move from the Sri Lankans. The line certainly doesn't match the field, with Clarke picking off four through the vast on-side vacancy with ease.

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    Over 89 Welegedera 1-0-0-4-1-0

    285-4 - Convincing and then shaky from the half-centurion, who works a poor line through the off-side for four more and then endures an iffy edge squirted through backward point for one.

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    Over 88 Herath 1-4-6-0-0-0

    279-4 - The spinner shares the new ball with the seamer and cops immediate expense as Clarke drives through a full length for four to bring up the half-century partnership and then goes even bigger down the ground for his second six of the day to herald the arrival of his half-ton. It's the 22nd 50 of his Test career. Next stop, perhaps: a long-awaited 15th Test ton.

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    Over 87 Welegedera 2-0-0-0-4-0

    268-4 - Change of bowling, with the left-armer back into the attack, but still no new ball yet. Not a great return from the bowler, with Clarke working a poor line through the leg-side and then beating the fielder on the dive through cover for four on the drive. With one ball remaining in the over, Sri Lanka decide now is the time for the new ball.

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    Over 86 Herath 0-2-3-0-0-0

    262-4 - Clarke on the attack again. He doesn't quite middle it but fetches three through the on-side anyway. The Australian has now made his intention to hit the spinner over the top very clear. Herath will enjoy this little battle within the war.

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    Over 85 Eranga 0-1nb-0-0-0-0-0

    257-4 - Eranga 'pulls a Lakmal' by coughing up a no-ball amid an otherwise superb over. Marginal hints of reverse swing keep Hussey guessing, with the left-hander employing a very textbook still head and straight bat in order to read the movement well enough.

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    Over 84 Herath 4-6-0-0-0-0

    256-4 - Clarke is tired of the spinner dictating proceedings, so sweeps powerfully for four and then dances down the track to pinpoint the first six of the day high and hard down the ground. And so arrives the team 250, while the lead is one run away from three figures.

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    Over 83 Eranga 0-0-0-1lb-0-1

    246-4 - Great over from Eranga, who switches from around the wicket to over the wicket in beating Hussey on a couple of occasions with what seems to be a bit of reverse swing. Remember, the old ball is available but Sri Lanka are eager to milk what swing and seam is left in the old one.

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    Over 82 Herath 0-0-3-0-2-1

    244-4 - Poor practice from Paranavitana, who catches the ball from the pad at short-leg and runs toward the umpire as if to suggest that was entirely out regardless of what the officials thinks. Hussey quickly bites back on the umpire's behalf, getting down to one knee for a slog-sweep that almost knocks the short-leg fielder's block off.

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    Over 81 Eranga 0-0-0-0-4-0

    238-4 - Sri Lanka don't take the new ball yet. Too wide from over the wicket and too close from around, the fast bowler can't get it right. In the meantime, he runs in and strikes elbows with the standing umpire. Dar isn't impressed - and actually in a bit of pain - as the winner of the Umpire of the Year award rubs his 'funny bone' in discomfort. Drinks break, meanwhile.

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    Over 80 Herath 1-0-1lb-0-0-0

    234-4 - Herath has the beating of Clarke for the time being, with the right-hander now not sure whether to advance down the track or not. He endures some awkward defence from the back of his crease, with a halfhearted lbw shout thrown in for good measure, eventually closing out the over with some dogged deadbatting to the on-side. No short-leg in place, so that's safe enough. The new ball is now available.

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    Over 79 Eranga 0-0-0-0-0-0

    232-4 - Two slips in place and a change of angle from Eranga, none of which Hussey wants anything to do with. In some superb form but always a nervy starter, the left-hander is more than content to leave alone as much as possible sent down outside his off-stump.

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    Over 78 Herath 0-0-0-1-0-0

    232-4 - Plenty of padding up and defence off the frontfoot from Clarke, who yesterday spoke of the need to push the lead to 150 and maybe beyond. It's halfway there now, but Clarke wouldn't have anticipated the early departure of Hughes.

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    Over 77 Eranga 0-0-0-0-0-4

    231-4 - Eranga is into the attack for the first time today and, cautioned for running on the crease yesterday, his approach and followthrough is a lot wider this time around. Too wide, in fact, with Clarke afforded enough width to work four through the off-side in ending a rather weak return over from the right-armer.

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    Over 76 Herath 0-0-0-1b-0-0

    227-4 - Clarke eager to use his feet to the spinner here, not so much as an immediate means of aggression but rather the chance to negate the spin from the hand of the left-armer. Those footmarks are quickly rendered redundant when the batsman is in front of them. There's a minor stumping chance, which wicketkeeper Jayawardene can be forgiven for not pulling off, but no real cause for alarm in the Aussie camp.

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    Over 75 Lakmal 1nb-0-1-2-2-0-0

    226-4 - Lakmal cough up his umpteenth no-ball of the series and it's fair to say that this is a problem for the fast bowler. Dilhara Fernando, not selected this time around, has often found himself enduring the same woe and perhaps the Sri Lankan bowling coach needs to get the two of them together to work out a hypothesis of sorts.

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    Over 74 Herath 0-0-0-1-0-W

    220-4 - The spinner is into the attack for the first time today and will no doubt employ a leg-side line. Clarke knows this and trots down the crease to mark the pitch as to the line he anticipates the spinner will deliver. Anything pitched on the other side of that, the right-hander will pad up to. Clarke's move works, as the bowler is soon forced to switch to around the wicket. A quick single stolen to mid-on leaves the centurion to the strike and Herath immediately puts paid to Hughes' hopes of a really big knock. WICKET! The left-hander gets down to one knee on the sweep, doesn't quite get to the pitch of the ball well enough and awkwardly rides a bit of extra bounce off the top edge. The fielder at backward square-leg is at hand for the catch and that' the end of a fine innings. Hussey in now.

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    Over 73 Lakmal 0-0-0-0-0-0

    219-3 - Lakmal sends down a maiden to Hughes, who having done all the hard work yesterday is determined to turn this century into a big one. His highest score - 160 against South Africa two years ago - is just 34 runs off now.

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    Over 72 Welegedera 0-0-1-0-4-0

    219-3 - Punished through the covers for four on the back of a rank half-volley, Welegedera reacts in somewhat of a kneejerk manner by changing his field to offer himself more protection through the off-side and changes his angle to around the wicket.

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    Over 71 Lakmal 1-0-0-0-1nb-0-0

    214-3 - Lakmal pushing hard for some help from the deck, too much so as he oversteps. The right-armer is mixing his lengths and pace up quite a bit, with the Aussie duo kept guessing. With the availability of the new ball closing in, Dilshan will just want a brief spell from Lakmal here before returning him to the attack later for first bite of the fresh cherry.

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    Over 70 Welegedera 0-0-0-0-1-0

    212-3 - The southpaw seamer gets the second over of the day. Just one slip in place, but there is also a short midwicket and short-leg. He approaches the left-handed Hughes from over the wicket, with the batsman eventually getting a single away through cover with more of a forward push than a full drive.

  • Over 69 Lakmal 0-0-1-1-0-0

    211-3 - Eranga was going to deliver the first over of the day, but a late decision from the Sri Lanka brains trust - Dilshan, Jayawardene, etc - leaves it to his fellow right-arm seamer. Tidy enough opening throes from him, with Clarke and Hughes happy to take in a single each - on the defence for the most part - as they look to play 'emselves back in again.

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    First Session, Day Five

    Umpires Hill and Dar, batsmen Hughes and Clarke and the Sri Lankan XI head out to the middle. Here we go, then.

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    Conditions

    The pitch, as ever, is going to prove an easy enough for batting, while the bowlers will really have to strive hard for seam - and maybe a bit of swing. The rough from the footmarks, meanwhile, is very much there for the spinners to exploit. We've had three days on the trot without rain and it looks as if we are in for a fourth. The sun is shining, the heavy clouds are nowhere to be seen and Mum Nature is certainly in a good mood here.

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    Greetings

    Hello and welcome to our over-by-over commentary of day five to the third and final Test between Sri Lanka and Australia at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The Aussies are after a lead of about 150-odd, while the hosts will want to wrap the innings up as soon as possible. We are in for quite an entertaining day, no doubt, so strap in for the ride.