Australia require just 141 to send retiring champion Mike Hussey out a winner and claim a 3-0 series sweep, after Sri Lanka fell apart on the morning of the fourth day of the Sydney Test.
Starting the day with an 87-run lead, Sri Lanka were able to add 53 as their final three batsmen folded cheaply in the face of a brutal spell from Australian quick Mitchell Johnson on Sunday.
Johnson finished with 3-34 as the visitors were all out for 278, with talented young batsman Dinesh Chandimal crafting an excellent, unbeaten 62 while adding 41 valuable runs with No.11 Nuwan Pradeep (9).
Australia are desperate to send Hussey, likely playing his last day of international cricket after being snubbed from the one-day squad on Sunday, out with a win.
The 37-year-old is reluctant to push himself up the order to guarantee him another Test innings.
Australia have had problems with low chases at the SCG, most famously in 1994 when they were routed by South Africa’s Fanie de Villiers after being set just 117 to win.
Things could’ve been significantly worse for the visitors however, with Chandimal surviving a strong appeal for lbw in the second over of the morning from Jackson Bird.
He was trapped on the crease and wrapped on the pads, but was given not out – prompting an unsuccessful review from Australian skipper Michael Clarke.
Hawkeye suggested the leg stump would’ve been hit, but not enough to justify overturning the decision.
It proved a godsend for the Sri Lankans with Chandimal hitting six boundaries afterwards to register his fourth Test half-century.
Chandimal has a bright future in a Sri Lankan team that has an ageing batting lineup, including 36-year-olds Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Australia should have broken through early when Rangana Herath was stranded in the middle of the pitch while attempting a second run.
However when a reasonable throw would’ve had Herath four metres short of his ground, wicketkeeper Matthew Wade lobbed the ball two metres above Johnson’s head and Herath scampered back into his crease ending a comical blown chance.
The error was not punished however as Herath dragged a wide delivery from Bird (3-76) onto his stumps for 10 the very next over.
Suranga Lakmal never looked comfortable in the middle, lasting a pitiful six deliveries before being comprehensively bowled by Johnson.
Johnson bowled without reward in the first innings but grabbed three scalps in the second dig, including the key wickets of veteran opener Dilshan and first innings top scorer Lahiru Thirimanne.
On Saturday, Sri Lankan pair Dimuth Karunaratne (85) and captain Mahela Jayawardene (60) gave the hosts a shot at victory when they put on 108 for the second wicket.
But a disastrous collapse after tea ruined any chance they had of setting a considerable target.
The visitors lost 5-46 as 1-132 quickly became 6-178 and they eventually finished day three at 7-225.
