Dinesh Chandimal scored an unbeaten 63 as Sri Lanka struggled to 136 for five at lunch Friday in response to Australia’s imposing first innings of 654 for six declared. A rain-curtailed morning session on Day 3 of the first test did little to ease Sri Lanka's woes,

The rain played a major role on the third day of the ongoing Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia at the Galle International Stadium on Friday.At Stumps on Day 3, Sri Lanka were 136/5 in 42 overs with Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis unbeaten on the crease as they are way behind Baggy Greens total by 518 runs.

Dinesh Chandimal's unbeaten half-century and persistent rain in Galle delayed Australia's push for victory in the opening test against Sri Lanka on Friday.

Sri Lanka is staring down the barrel at 44-3 after Australia achieved its largest ever total in Asia — 654-6 declared — on day two of the first test in Galle.

After what was a batting collapse on Day 2 for Sri Lanka, the home side will be looking to pose a better answer in front of the Australia bowling attack featuring the likes of Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.

Travis Head will replace Sam Konstas as Usman Khawaja's opening partner in the first test against Sri Lanka at Galle on Wednesday, Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith said on the eve of the match.

Australia are coming off a really strong Test match series victory over India, so they'll be confident of keeping the good times going in Sri Lanka. Of course, playing away from home is always a challenge.

In the past 15 years, Australia have only enforced the follow-on five times, with acting skipper Smith in command for one of those matches, a win over the West Indies in Hobart in 2015. But it may be Australia’s clearest path to victory against Sri Lanka.