Sawt Falasteen - Kusal falls early but Sri Lanka steady in second Test

The hosts reached 262 for three at lunch, still trailing Australia, who lead the two-match series 1-0, by 102 runs in Galle.

Mathews, on 49, and Dinesh Chandimal, on 29, were batting at the break in an unbeaten stand of 76 on a pitch that's holding strong and witnessed a brief spell of morning rain.

Spinner Nathan Lyon struck early in the day to send back Kusal trapped lbw for 85 after the hosts resumed on 184-2 in response to Australia's first innings total of 364.

The batsman just added one to his overnight score and wasted an umpire review after the tracking technology showed the ball would have hit the middle and leg stump.

Mathews, who started the day on six, kept calm alongside Chandimal as the veteran pair handled the opposition spinners with assurance to rebuild the innings.

Kusal and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, who made 86, had led Sri Lanka's strong reply on day two when the duo put on 152 runs for the second wicket.

Scores of fans turned up for the cricket on the third day, despite the host country facing fresh political unrest arising from its painful economic crisis.

The Galle International Stadium on Saturday witnessed dramatic scenes outside its walls as thousands of protesters demanded the resignation of President Gotabya Rajapaksa who later fled his home shortly before a huge crowd stormed his residence in Colombo.

D.AbuRida--SF-PST