Rain Rains On Australia's Parade

With half the 3rd day lost to rain and more forecast, Michael Clarke gets to realise why he has to earn his keep as the skipper. His prime concern will be to avoid batting again but just how many runs he will need depends on two variables: how many Khawaja can add with a handy tail and how badly Sri Lanka will bat.

Hussey and Marsh celebrate 100's

Before the rain came, two centuries were scored. The veteran Mike Hussey, raised his 14th, overtaking his rookie partner in the process. It was almost as though the century was the by-product for Hussey who was clearly intent on moving the Australian scoring rate in an upward direction. There have been other servants of Australian cricket as selfless as Hussey but none better than him. He will look back with joy on his career but might wonder what additional heights he might have reached with more time in the side, caused it must be said, by his later maturing. At the other end, Shaun Marsh remained resolute but this morning a nervous edge was detected for the first time as he French cut for four and prodded where yesterday he had stroked. Eventually, a sweep forward of square gave him the last two he needed and he raised his arms and gave his helmet the Slater treatment. In the stands, father Geoff rode the ball through the gap and issued oaths as the second run saw his son safely home. The term for such things - a magic moment - is over used, even to the point of abuse but on this day and at that moment, it really was magic.

Randiv removes Johnson

Achievements bedded down, both kept on batting through lunch until it was Hussey who finally broke the stand when he tried to drive Samaraweera over cover but was through the shot a fraction early and dropped into Sangakkara's safe hands as he ran in from a deep cover point. The 258 run partnership started with Australia wobbling and ended with them standing steady and strong over the remains of the Sri Lankan team that four weeks ago had been feared as a threat. Marsh followed him soon after when a Lakmal bouncer got big on him and his pull shot hit near the splice and flew to Sangakkara deep at mid wicket. With rain approaching approaching, a woefully out of form Brad Haddin went down the track but hit Sri Lanka's best bowler, Suraj Randiv, straight down the throat of ... yes, Sangakkara again, this time at mid on.

For sheer lasting humour, Mitch Johnson's one ball innings will be hard to beat. Obviously not understanding that benign isn't the parking space beside B8 and treating the pitch as though it was turning square, his shouldering of arms to Randiv was a hilarious misadventure in not playing the ball on its merits. His effort was a reminder of the bully playing brandings who offers a free shot to the nerd and spends the next month being laughed at by his mates after the nerd hits him square between the eyes. Bat high, head down and the ball straight into middle stump.

The rain came which gave me a chance to recover my composure after Johnson's comic role in the afternoon. It stayed so that I could watch the opening episode of a new season of Doctor Who and nothing more happened for the day.

Over to you now Michael.