Karunaratne stretchered off as SL chase big Australia total

CANBERRA: Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was rushed to hospital after a frightening blow by a bouncer on Saturday as Sri Lanka chased a massive Australian first innings total built on the back of three centuries.In overcast conditions, the home team resumed day two of the second Test in Canberra on 384 for four and extended their lead to a massive 534 for five when skipper Tim Paine declared.At stumps, Sri Lanka were 123 for three in reply with Kusal Perera on 11 and Dhananjaya de Silva not out one.Paine’s declaration looked premature given the ease with which Sri Lanka’s openers weathered the new-ball attack led by under-pressure Mitchell Starc.On a flat Manuka Oval track Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne saw off some lightning quick deliveries and a bouncer barrage and had built an 82-run stand before disaster struck.Playing in his 58th Test, Karunaratne was 46 not out when a rising Pat Cummins ball glanced off his shoulder and onto his helmet, close to the neck area.He slumped to the ground, dropping his bat as Australian players ran to assist.A doctor and physio sprinted onto the ground and called for more medics and after some 10 minutes, he was put on a stretcher and taken off the field on a golf buggy.Cricket Australia said he complained of pain in the neck and tingling to the hands and was ferried to hospital.Coach Chandika Hathurusingha said later he was in “good spirits” and “in no danger”.“It hit on the back of the neck so he is being assessed,” he added.It clearly unsettled Thirimanne who fell to spinner Nathan Lyon for 41 in the next over, caught by Usman Khawaja at slip.Cummins then clean-bowled Kusal Mendis for six and when captain Dinesh Chandimal gloved a Starc ball to Paine behind the stumps for 15, the tourists were in trouble.“We lost a couple of wickets afterwards so it was definitely a distraction.” admitted Hathurusingha.The impressive Kurtis Patterson was not out 114 and Paine on 45 at the declaration with Vishwa Fernando the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 3-126.After being dropped on his first ball, Patterson, who earned a debut in the first Test at Brisbane after hitting 157 and 102 for a Cricket Australia XI in a warm-up against Sri Lanka, never looked back.The New South Welshman reached his maiden hundred with a drive to mid-off for three after starting the day on 25.Opener Joe Burns only lasted five overs after resuming on 172, adding eight runs before chopping a delivery from quick Kasun Rajitha onto his stumps.Burns’ departure brought the consistent Paine to the crease, who kept the pressure on the visitors.Score BoardAustralia won tossAustralia 1st InningsM Harris c Karunaratne b Fernando 11J Burns b Rajitha 180U Khawaja c Mendis b Fernando 0M Labuschagne c Dickwella b Karunaratne 6T Head lbw b Fernando 161K Patterson not out 114*†T Paine not out 45Extras (lb 3, nb 10, w 4) 17Total (5 wickets, dec; 132 overs) 534Did not bat: P J Cummins, M A Starc, J A Richardson, N M LyonFall: 1-11, 2-15, 3-28, 4-336, 5-404Bowling: Rajitha 28-5-103-1 (nb 4); Fernando 30-3-126-3 (w 4); Karunaratne 22-0-130-1 (nb 6); Perera 32-4-112-0; Silva 20-2-60-0Sri Lanka 1st InningsF D M Karunaratne retired hurt 46H D R L Thirimanne c Khawaja b Lyon 41*L D Chandimal c Paine b Starc 15B K G Mendis b Cummins 6M D K J Perera not out 11D M de Silva not out 1Extras (b 1, lb 2) 3Total (3 wickets; 43 overs) 123Yet to bat: †N Dickwella , M D K Perera, C Karunaratne, M V T Fernando, C A K RajithaFall: 1-90, 2-101, 3-120Bowling: Starc 8-2-32-1; Richardson 9-4-23-0; Cummins 10-2-25-1; Lyon 16-5-40-1Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Michael Gough (England). TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (South Africa). Match referee: Javagal Srinath (India)

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