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Warner, Hughes put Oz on top

Australia made hard work of grabbing a narrow lead over tenacious Sri Lanka on a second day tarnished by reckless run outs and rash shot-making in the third Test at Sydney Cricket Ground. The home side, with the series already clinched after wins in Hobart and Melbourne, edged Friday to a 48-run lead over the tourists.

But it proved tough going and the Australians failed to get away to a bigger lead after a run-a-minute start. At the close, Australia were 342 for six with Matthew Wade on 47 and Peter Siddle not out 16. Wade lived dangerously late in the day, surviving two reviews and a dropped catch close in while on 22.

Australia self-destructed with two run outs while David Warner, Phil Hughes and Michael Clarke threw away their wickets with false strokes. The top order carelessness was accentuated by Australia's decision to go into the third Test with four pace bowlers and promote wicketkeeper Wade to number six ahead of an elongated tail.

Warner and Hughes both missed out on centuries and Clarke, aghast at his part in the run out of the retiring Mike Hussey, was out attempting to slog sweep left-arm spinner Rangana Herath. The Australian skipper's top edge was taken by Dimuth Karunaratne at mid-wicket and exposed the broader tailend to the Sri Lanka bowlers after batting for 136 minutes for his 50.

Free-scoring Warner perished when he took on part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan only to be well caught over his shoulder by Dhammika Prasad, back-pedalling at long-on, for 85 off 84 balls. Hughes followed Warner back to the pavilion seven overs later, caught behind attempting to cut Herath for 87.
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