FOLLOW LIVE: Alex Carey, Steve Smith put Australia in commanding position over Sri Lanka ahead of day three

Sri Lanka are digging their heels in and Angelo Mathews has raised the bat for his half century.

After losing 4-81, the hosts have now put 124 runs on the board without losing another wicket.

Sri Lanka have survived untilt tea with six wickets in hand.

The hosts still trail by 59 runs after losing 4-98 in the session.

Angelo Mathews is not out on 38, while Dhananjaya de Sivla is also unbeaten on 8.

A thrilling final session coming up.

Just as Sri Lanka appeared to have momentarily steadied their innings, Nathan Lyon strikes again.

Kamindu Mendis chips is straight to Usman Khawaja at mid-off and departs for 14.

Sri Lanka in all sorts of trouble, four down and still trailing by 75 runs.

Nathan Lyon gets in on the action, dismissing Dinesh Chandimal for 12.

Beau Webster takes a great catch, diving forward, as Lyon brings up his 550th Test wicket.

Sri Lanka are in all sorts, trailing by 118 at 3-39.

Matt Kuhnemann gets the breakthrough and it’s the retiring Dimuth Karunaratne, who goes for 14, caught by Alex Carey.

The nick was so faint that he reviewed it but the ultra edge picked up the spike.

Australian players applaud as Chandimal runs over to embrace him, and Karunaratne raises the bat to the crowd.

Sri Lanka are 2-33. trailing by 124.

Matt Kunemann strikes and Sri Lanka are already 1-9.

A ripper delivery in his first over dismisses Pathum Nissanka for eight, rattling the stumps after some shoddy footwork from the opener.

Sri Lanka trail by 148.

Stand-in skipper Steve Smith has declared Australia are “in a pretty good spot” in this Test match, as they hunt a series sweep in Sri Lanka.

Smith conceded “it seems there’s a bit more happening off the middle part of the wicket now” which will be music to the ears of the visitors’ bowling attack.

“To be 157 in front is a good place and hopefully we can go to work after the break,” Smith told Seven.

Steve Smith (131) 4-350

Josh Inglis (0) 5-350

Alex Carey (156) 373

Cooper Connolly (4) 7-384

Mitchell Starc (8) 8-406

Beau Webster (31) 9-406

Matt Kuhnemann (6) 10-414

Matt Kuhnemann is the last wicket to fall and the Aussies are all out for 414.

They started day three on 3-330, losing 7-84 in less than two hours of play.

But batting is going to be very tough on this surface for Sri Lanka and the Aussies will be full of confidence.

Their lead stands at 157 at lunch.

Australia have not been able to cash in on their Cooper Connolly gamble during the 21-year-old’s first Test knock against Sri Lanka.

With only four first-class matches to his name, the batting allrounder was handed a whirlwind Test debut this week for the second and final match of the series.

Connolly had been brought in at the expense of frontline spinner Todd Murphy to boost Australia’s batting firepower on a pitch predicted to play plenty of tricks.

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