Mathews And Hughes Score Centuries In Colombo

Mathews And Hughes Score Centuries In Colombo

Phillip Hughes scored an impressive - and important - century to shepherd Australia into an overall lead on day four

©REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte (SRI LANKA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Australia 316 (Hussey 118) & 209-3 (Hughes 122no) v
Sri Lanka 473 (Mathews 105no, Dilshan 83)
Third Test, Colombo, day four
Scorecard | Day One | Day Two | Day Three

Angelo Mathews and Phillip Hughes both scored unbeaten centuries on day four of the third and final Test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Colombo.

Mathews' maiden Test century enabled Sri Lanka to post 473 in reply to Australia's 316 while Hughes' first triple-figure score in Tests since March 2009 enabled Australia to close on 209 for three in their second innings and take a lead of 52 into the final day.

Shaminda Eranga added seven runs to his overnight five before he was bowled by Peter Siddle in the morning which left Mathews under a little pressure if he wanted to reach his century, which was exacerbated when Rangana Herath was trapped in front by Siddle for three and Chanaka Welagedara was run out for one.

23 runs were then added by Mathews and number 11 Suranga Lakmal, who scored 13 in 18 balls to allow Mathews, who faced 269 balls and hit ten fours, to reach his milestone.

The innings ended when Mitchell Johnson bowled Lakmal. Siddle finished with figures of four for 91 with both Johnson and Trent Copeland taking two wickets.

Australia began to swiftly work away at the 157-run deficit they were presented with as Shane Watson hit a brisk 21 before he was trapped in front by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

Shaun Marsh (18) and Ricky Ponting (28) also fell to the impressive Herath but Hughes stood firm, surviving a confident lbw appeal that was referred upstairs on 99, to score his third Test century, and first since he cracked 160 against South Africa in Durban in just his second Test.

He played solidly in making 122 in 202 balls with 16 fours and a six while Michael Clarke had made eight from 37 balls when play was ended for the day.

© Cricket World 2011