Source: AAP
Shaun Marsh restored calmness to Australia's batting in Colombo on day two of the third Test against Sri Lanka and now he's poised to cash in.
The tourists will resume on Monday at 1-141, 214 runs behind Sri Lanka's first innings of 355, as they aim for a consolation victory after two deflating losses.
Recalled to the top of the order in place of Joe Burns, Marsh worked his way to a composed 64 not out and with Steve Smith (61 not out) added 120 for the second wicket.
Marsh hit 10 boundaries but unlike Australia's batsmen in the previous Test defeats in Kandy and Galle, was willing to defend resolutely from his crease.
His smart knock mirrored what had been successful for Dhananjaya de Silva (129) and Dinesh Chandimal (132), whose patient 211-run partnership lifted the hosts out of deep strife at 5-26 and proved there weren't as many demons in the pitch as first thought.
Already, the Marsh-Smith partnership is almost double Australia's previous best of the series and paceman Mitchell Starc wants the pair to make the most of it given they won't want to chase many in the fourth innings for victory.
"It's obviously going to be tough to bat last on that wicket with the quality of their spinners," said Starc.
"For us it's just to keep going the way we were in that last session and not being too aggressive but just staying positive.
"They're set now, so it's important to get those big scores like the two Sri Lankans did."
Marsh is in great shape to continue his solid run-scoring in Sri Lanka.
The left-hander made 141 on debut in Kandy in 2011 and backed that up with 81 and 18 at Sinhalese Sports Club - venue of the current Test - in Colombo.
Smith will also be keen to capitalise after passing 4000 Test runs on Sunday.
The skipper became the youngest and third-fastest Australian in terms of innings to reach the milestone.
However, history is against them in the subcontinent.
Australia have only won one Test after conceding 300 in the first innings of a Test in the region - in Bangalore in 1998 when India made 424.
FASTEST AUSTRALIANS TO 4000 TEST RUNS BY INNINGS
Don Bradman - 48 innings
Matthew Hayden - 77
Steve Smith - 80
Neil Harvey - 80
David Warner - 84
YOUNGEST AUSTRALIANS TO 4000 TEST RUNS
Steve Smith - 27 years and 73 days
Ricky Ponting - 27 years and 338 days
Neil Harvey - 28 years and 12 days
Don Bradman - 28 years and 130 days
Allan Border - 28 years and 223 days
