Australia build massive lead as Hussey & Marsh make hay before rain comes : T2D3

Australia 7/411 (132ov, Hussey 142, Marsh 141) lead Sri Lanka 174 by 237runs with 3 first inns wickets in hand. T2D3 at Pallekele.

Mike Hussey and Shaun Marsh eventually added 258 before Hussey fell for 142/244b (18x4). Marsh followed soon after for 142/315b (16x4), as did Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson to successive deliveries from Suraj Randiv (Ryan Harris narrowly avoided the hat trick).

Both Hussey, the old gun who'd been written off by many a year ago, and Marsh, the Test debutant, batted magnificently on a pitch which is holding up well against an attack which which lacked penetration (or was made to lack penetration).

But then the rains came. I don't know the forecast for Kandy (near the Pallekele stadium) but wouldn't be surprised if more rain was expected tomorrow and Monday, in which case Australia should declare now and hope that their bowlers can once again take advantage of what this series so far has shown to be a more brittle than expected Sri Lanka batting lineup.

Scorecard