Pallekele (Sri Lanka) (AFP) – Pace bowler Pat Cummins claimed four wickets as Australia kept Sri Lanka down to 220 for nine as rain forced the innings to end in 47.4 overs on Thursday.

The tourists, who lead the five-match series 1-0, have been set a target of 216 runs in 43 overs in Pallekele, as per the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

Australia’s bowlers backed up their captain’s call to field first, as they removed the openers inside 10 overs and Sri Lanka suffered from a lack of partnerships.

Debutant left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann struck in his third over of international cricket to send back Pathum Nissanka, who was caught behind for 14.

Kuhnemann returned figures of 2-48 and took two catches.

Cummins, Australia’s Test captain who returned to the side after recovering from an injury at the start of the series, got the left-handed Danushka Gunathilaka caught in the deep for 18.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Mendis, who hit 36, and Dhananjaya de Silva, who made 34, attempted to rebuild with a 61-run stand that was broken by Cummins.

Cummins took down De Silva and Mendis fell to Glenn Maxwell’s caught and bowled effort. Maxwell took one wicket with his off-spin to rattle the opposition middle order.

Wickets kept falling despite skipper Dasun Shanaka’s attacking cameo of 34, which ended with a mishit to point off leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson.

Cummins was looking for a five-wicket haul when rain stopped play and the innings ended after more than an hour of persistent showers. He finished with figures of 4-35.

Source: AFP