Australia v Sri Lanka: first Test, day three – live!

19th over: Sri Lanka 36-4 (Thirimanne 17, Dhananjaya 0) Lyon continues his battle with Thirimanne but it is very much Off Broadway, the real action right now when Cummins is thundering in. The southpaw retains the strike for that next over, for better or worse, with one to midwicket to finish.

A masteful wicket maiden from Cummins, winning Silva’s outside edge with the final delivery with a timid push to Burns at second slip. But it was the earlier work that sorted the No5 out, the Australian quick beating the outside edge, slamming a bumper in that just missed the lid and slipping a yorker past the inside edge, prompting an unsuccessful lbw shout. He has 4/9 from seven overs. Phwoar.

18th over: Sri Lanka 35-4 (Thirimanne 16)

17th over: Sri Lanka 35-3 (Thirimanne 16, Silva 3) Another maiden from Lyon, giving Thirimanne few tempters outside the off stump, surely knowing that the outside edge has been the opener’s primary weakness over the years.

16th over: Sri Lanka 35-3 (Thirimanne 16, Silva 3) Cummins once more, with four clips in position for Silva, who just gets his bat down in time to the first ball, not getting up he was right to expect. But the next delivery in that region, does get up, kissing the thigh pad before racing down to the rope for four leg byes. He keeps it together, defending the last couple, but that volatility will keep him thinking.

15th over: Sri Lanka 31-3 (Thirimanne 16, Silva 3) It doesn’t take Lyon long! Indeed, he has Thirimanne given first ball, lbw! But going through the DRS process, Lyon’s considerable bounce means the delivery is projected to be going over the middle stump by a good six inches. At last, a good review from the visitors.

14th over: Sri Lanka 31-3 (Thirimanne 16, Silva 3) That might be Cummins’ final set for now, going for five runs with the pace slightly down. Understandably so – it’s hot. I’d imagine Starc will now be into the captain, wanting a bowl right away.

Ali Mitchell on ABC is discussing an article she read suggesting that the Gabba naming rights could be sold. Tuffers asks how much it is going for, Ali replies $2m AUD a year. “Oooh. Only $2m? I might have a dart at that myself! The Tuffers Gabba!” He’s a gem. I’m on the same flight back to London with him after Canberra Test, which could/will be eventful.

13th over: Sri Lanka 26-3 (Thirimanne 11, Silva 3) Nice clip from Thirimanne to start, taking two. Oh, less good from the next, having a lash at a ball well outside the off stump and missing. Put it away! He does, in defence for the rest of the over, keeping the strike with a careful push to square leg.

“Adam, do you recall?” tweets Jonathan Northall, picking up what I was putting down with the Pulp reference. “The lead was very small, Aussies needed wickets to fall. And when Cummins bowled the bal,l Sri Lanka had no answer at all.”

I’d’ve also accepted Jarvis’ dramatic allllllllllllll to finish that line.

12th over: Sri Lanka 23-3 (Thirimanne 8, Silva 3) Another rapid over from Cummins, working around that fourth stump line with Silva able to let half the set go, the deliveries taken by Paine at chest or head height. Bringing in the off-cutter to finish, it hit the new man on the thigh pad. Ouch. There is nothing fun about this for the Sri Lankans but they have to find a way to dig in for a few hours.

11th over: Sri Lanka 23-3 (Thirimanne 8, Silva 3) Another maiden for Richardson, who is doing his job perfectly, making Thirimanne play throughout. Then comes the bouncer, which the opener gets underneath just in time. With the new man going so well, this is a very good problem for the selectors to have ahead of the Ashes. How do they all play? How do we shoehorn James Pattinson into the XI? Double-down on strength, I say, and play four quicks and Lyon. Sure, it isn’t conventional, but knocking over England for sod all has to be Play A, B, C and D.

10th over: Sri Lanka 23-3 (Thirimanne 8, Silva 3) Runs off Cummins! Four of them! Three first ball for Silva, clipped off his stumps out to midwicket – nice shot. Thirimanne grabs one behind the square leg umpire.

That’s an appalling shot from Mendis, who is way too good to throw his hands at a ball a foot outside the off stump with his side on the ropes. Sure enough, the thick edge lands safely in the hands of Burns at second slip. Cummins now has 3/0 from 13 balls. “What dreams are made of,” says Stuart Clark on ABC radio. Not wrong.

9th over: Sri Lanka 19-2 (Thirimanne 7, Mendis 1) Another thing to like about Richardson is that he approaches the crease on a slight angle rather than dead straight, as he has been the convention over the last 20 years or so. Russell Jackson, formerly of this parish, wrote about this a few years back. If Richardson and Worrall both feature in England this year, it would be quite the throwback in this respect. Do it, selectors. Meanwhile, Thirimanne picks up the first run of the day to mid off, Mendis tucking a single himself to get off the mark.

8th over: Sri Lanka 17-2 (Thirimanne 6, Mendis 0) Second up to Mendis, Cummins has the Sri Lankan star playing all around his front pad before then squaring him up a treat, the ball spitting out to the gully on the bounce. It makes another wicket maiden for Cummins, his current analysis 2-2-0-2. Whoa.

A second ball blob for the skipper! Cummins is on fire, just as he was last night, winning the edge from a delivery that took off from a length, ballooning into the gully. Patterson did the rest in the gully, having to jump to reach the catch, doing it well.

7th over: Sri Lanka 17-1 (Thirimanne 6, Chandimal 0) A tidy maiden to begin Richardson’s day, immediately in the channel then finding Thirimanne’s edge, albeit into the gully on the bounce. He’s a very impressive starter.

The players are out in the middle for an Indigenous welcome followed by the national anthem before the resumption. Some good words from CA spokesman James Sherry, noting the organisation’s support for the ongoing reconciliation project, “not to deny our past but for it to shape our future.” Thirimanne is joined by Chandimal, having lost Karunaratne from the final ball last night. Richardson has the ball in his hand, coming from the Stanley Street End. PLAY!

The pitch. Looks to be plenty still there, especially for Jhye Richardson who has won plenty of lateral movement so far in this Test Match.

Having watched the end of the WBBL, the teams are now warming up. Happy as Justin Langer would be that his side are on the cusp of a one-nil series lead, he’ll also, surely, be smiling about England’s, um, issues over the last 36 hours.

Check out Vic Marks’ match report from Kensington, following Jason Holder’s masterful double ton. What a cricketer the Windies captain has matured into.

All eyes on the big screen at the Gabba. As it is about 10 seconds ahead of the telly. Both teams have stopped to watch – magnificent. That’s the big benefit of the WBBL being televised from the get-go, this buy in from the entire cricket community.

JP is on the OBO for that final, I should add. Where the mighty Teen Wolv, Laura Wolvaardt, has been run out by her South African teammate Marizanne Kapp the ball after belting her national captain, Dane van Niekerk, for four. Six off seven needed! What a finish!