Live: Rain threatening Australian innings victory against Sri Lanka

Lyon starts this over around the wicket to Chandimal, who hasn’t looked as fluent this morning.

He goes for a switch hit and picks up a single down to deep third man.

Lyon drifts onto Mendis’s pads and is worked to fine leg for another single.

Chandimal skips down the pitch for the first time today and hits Lyon to long on for single.

Mendis also picks up a single down to long on, but plays it from the crease this time.

Lyon finishes the over by going around the wicket again to Chandimal.

These two ticking things along well for Sri Lanka.

Kuhnemann continuing what’s been an impressive spell this morning.

Gets Chandimal reaching as he defends one into the leg side and calls Mendis through for a quick single.

FOUR! Shot! Mendis goes for a slog sweep against the spin and creams it through to the midwicket boundary in the air.

Another sweep shot from Mendis, this time it’s just a single as he hits it to the fielder in the deep.

A bit of a misfield from one of the slips gives Chandimal a single to end the over. A good one for Sri Lanka.

Lyon continuing his battle with Chandimal. No slip in position.

Chandimal tries to go for another sweep but doesn’t make contact this time.

BEATEN! Excellent delivery to end the over as Lyon sneaks one past the defensive prod of Kusal Mendis.

There’s an enquiry for a stumping from Alex Carey, who I must say is a serial appealer. It’s sent upstairs but Mendis’s foot has not left the ground at all.

Kuhnemann getting some very good purchase out of this pitch.

Bowls one on leg stump and it spits up at Chandimal, who does an excellent job of playing with soft hands to negate the turn.

Chandimal hasn’t really used the sweeps and his feet against Kuhnemann just yet.

Chanidmal ends the over by picking up a single. Good over from Kuhnemann.

Nathan Lyon will partner Matthew Kuhnemann this morning.

Lyon’s operating from over the wicket.

Chandimal goes for a big sweep first up and gets a top edge that falls safely, he picks up a single down to fine leg.

Another short ball from Lyon and Mendis unleashes a full-blooded pull shot straight into Travis Head’s knee. That is the nightmare delivery if you’re fielding in close.

Chandimal opts for another switch hit and picks up another single. Head and Mendis share a little fist bump.

Another short one from Lyon and Mendis rocks back and cuts it away for two.

Matthew Kuhnemann will start things off for Australia today.

Kusal Mendis on strike.

Mendis starts with a little late cut for a single.

Kuhnemann has two slips in as well as another close catcher in on the leg side.

Good running by the pair after a bit of hesitation as Chandimal opens his account for the day.

Kuhnemann continuing to operate in the high 80s pace-wise.

A good, tight over from the left-armer.

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc is hoping for a full day’s play today and tomorrow, but I don’t love his chances.

He says there’s plenty of time to take the last 15 wickets needed to win, if the rain stays away.

“We’re 518 runs ahead still, one more wicket and we’re into the bowlers,” he tells Channel Seven.

“We’ll get through the first innings first and see where we’re at but [the follow-on] is probably the likely play.

“The wicket’s only gonna get worse [for batting], particularly at Galle, the wicket doesn’t generally get better, it gets worse.

“With the calibre of spinners we have, if we field well and hold our catches we like to think we’re a good chance.”

The sun is currently shining in Galle, but there are clouds on the horizon. You get the feeling Australia needs to remove Dinesh Chandimal or Kusal Mendis very early today, then rip through this batting-challenged tail before the first burst of rain arrives.

The temperature today won’t be a problem, it’s expected to hover between 25 and 30 degrees celsius.

It is currently clear and sunny, so we’ll get play on time in just over 15 minutes’ time.

However, the rain might be a little issue as the day wears on. There are storms expected between 11am and 2pm which could eat up the majority of the day.

It is expected that Galle will receive between 1-5mm of rain today.

Here’s a live look at me, definitely not doing a rain dance.

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For more content from day three, read our quick hits from yesterday.

We broke down Mitchell Starc’s pace, follow-on decisions and the Sri Lankan captain’s quite woeful dismissal.

We had one session of play yesterday before the heavens opened up.

After that we broke down some combined XIs featuring Australia and Sri Lanka’s greatest ever players.

If you missed the action and the discussion, have a read below!

Good afternoon all and welcome to ABC Sport’s live coverage from day four of the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia.

Much of day three was washed out by rain, and it looks like we’ll have to deal with a few stoppages today as well.

Fingers crossed that we get some more play compared to yesterday.

Get settled in and join Jon Healy and myself as we bring you all the action from Galle.