Mahela's lip, Mendis' slip

Mahela Jayawardene has been vocal in his criticism of umpiring decisions that have disadvantaged Sri Lanka in this series, and he made his mind known to the umpires twice more on Sunday. The first occasion was in the fourth over, when Sri Lanka were prevented from reviewing a very good lbw shout because of faulty video equipment. He audibly labeled the incident "rubbish" and "crap". Then in the 48th over, he approached the umpire again to complain that the batsmen's shuffling around the crease should be taken into account, after the umpire called a Dhammika Prasad ball a wide.

Kane Williamson has been in exceptional form against Sri Lanka, but the visitors have helped him no end by repeatedly reprieving him, most memorably during his 244 not out in the second Test. Sri Lanka once again paved their own path to difficulty when, in the 14th over, Williamson scooped one up towards short cover, and Tillakaratne Dilshan mistimed his jump and failed to hold on. Williamson would go on to top score, hitting 67 more runs after he was shelled.

Kumar Sangakkara had already run out a teammate, when he had changed his call mid-way with Dinesh Chandimal, but though he was guilty of something similar with Jeevan Mendis, it was Mendis' failure to keep his balance that sealed his fate. Sangakkara was initially interested in returning for a second when he had hit one to deep midwicket, but changed his mind late, after Mendis had almost come back halfway. The throw came to Sangakkara's end, however, and Mendis had time to get back, only he lost his balance as he turned, and went sprawling to the turf. Even that would have been okay if he had kept his bat in his hand, but sometime during the dive, it slipped his grip, and he ended up being run out by over a foot, while his bat lay well beyond the crease.

Brendon McCullum had produced an excellent pick-up and throw to get rid of Chandimal, but Kyle Mills' effort to get rid of Dhammika Prasad in the 39th over was even better. Mills ran in from mid on to pick up the ball when Prasad pushed one into the leg side and began to run. The batsmen hesitated for a moment, and though Mills initially was looking at throwing to the striker's end, he quickly realised Prasad was further away from the crease. Pivoting during the pick-up, Mills aimed a throw at the base of the stumps, being careful to avoid Mitchell McClenaghan, who had also moved to field the ball. His throw found its target, and sent Sri Lanka a step closer to the series loss.