Nissanka subbed out as Sri Lanka's COVID outbreak grows

Sri Lanka's hopes of a second Test triumph over Australia have taken yet another hit due to their COVID-19 outbreak with opener Pathum Nissanka the latest to go down with the virus midway through the match in Galle.

Oshada Fernando will become the first player to be substituted into consecutive Test matches as a COVID-19 substitute havinglast week replaced Angelo Mathews in the series opener.

Nissanka, who felt unwell on Sunday morning before a PCR test confirmed the diagnosis, is the sixth player to contract the virus within the Sri Lankan camp in a little over a week.

Jeffrey Vandersay, Dhananjaya de Silva and Asitha Fernando all played in the first Test but were ruled out of the second having caught the virus.

Back-up spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, who didn't play in the first Test but had been in line for a recall, also tested positive last week.

Australia have been in Sri Lanka for six weeks across an all-format tour, staying at the same hotels as their hosts, but are yet to record a single positive case.

But Sri Lanka's efforts to stay competitive in this series amid their flood of cases has been admirable.

Mathews showed no ill-effects from his bout of the virus in scoring a vital half-century on day three of the tour-concluding Test, as Dinesh Chandimal (who will resume Monday on 118no) helped their side take a 67-run first-innings lead.

First-gamer Kamindu Mendis, only playing because Dhananjaya was unavailable, also scored a half-century.

That came after another debutant, Prabath Jayasuriya, took 6-118 to keep Australia to 364 in their first dig, the second best figures ever taken by a Sri Lankan playing their first Test.

They will now be hopeful they might not miss Nissanka at all, with Kamindu saying their plan was to get a big first innings lead before re-inserting the Aussies on a pitch that's becoming harder to bat on.

"We had to work hard to get ahead of Australia and we did well," said the debutant allrounder.

"Compared to the last game, this pitch is very conducive for batting … the wicket was good and I didn't have to take risks.

"The wicket has lot of assistance for spinners today compared to the first two days. Our plan is to get a decent lead and put pressure on Australia."

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Lakshitha Manasinghe, Dunith Wellalage, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lakshan Sandakan

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. Standby players: Matthew Kuhnemann, Todd Murphy

June 29 - July 3: Australia won by 10 wickets

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

Sri Lanka v Australia Test matches will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports