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Marvellous Marvan

AFP, Cairns
When Marvan Atapattu began his Test career he didn't know where his next run was coming from -- a far cry from the prestige of scoring a Test century in Australia against the world's best.
The 33-year-old skipper batted with tenacity and technique for his 133, in the process steering Sri Lanka to 411 for five at the close of the third day in the second cricket Test here on Sunday. Sri Lanka now trail Australia's first innings total of 517 by 106 runs, with two days remaining in the match.
Atapattu became only the fifth Sri Lankan to score a century in Australia, his 15th hundred overall.
But history records that he began his Test career in less formidable fashion -- with five ducks in his first six innings. He was dropped from the side for three years before reemerging against New Zealand in 1997 and consolidating his position.
"I had a bad, bad start to my career and when I was left out of the side there was little hope that I would score a century against any other Test-playing nation, let alone Australia," Atapattu said after Sunday's steely knock.
"It all happens for the good, I guess. I had to return to club cricket and get some experience before I came back to the Sri Lankan side."
But the undemonstrative Atapattu has made up for lost time by scoring 4,685 Test runs at an average of over 40 -- even allowing for his wretched start.
In his 75 Tests, Atapattu has scored six double-centuries, three of them unbeaten, and he had scored a century in two of his past three Tests against world champions Australia.
"Getting a hundred outside your country is something I consider as a big thing for me," said Atapattu, but
he didn't rate it as his toughest innings.
"I worked hard for one of my centuries back home in Kandy against Pakistan (207 not out in 2000), but today was hard work and I'm very glad to get a hundred against Australia in Australia," Atapattu said.
About the match, he said, "I
would like to get to their score if possible and then assess it from there.
"The way we were batting at the end it would have been better for us if we had the full day's play. The difference today was that we capitalised on the bad balls we received."
Marvellous
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Australian coach John Buchanan said there was still enough overs to force a result.
"They're still around 100 runs behind with roughly 200 overs to go, so it's at a very interesting stage, both sides have a lot of work to do on a very good wicket which won't deteriorate too much," Buchanan said.
"If either side falters with the bat and lose four or five wickets, then that will give the other side an opportunity for a win, that's still a big possibility within the next two days."