Cricket - Sri Lanka win toss, bat in final test against Australia

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bat in the third and final test against Australia at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Saturday.

Sri Lanka, eyeing a whitewash against the world's top-ranked test side, made one change to the team that beat Australia by 229 runs in Galle to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Paceman Suranga Lakmal has recovered from a hamstring injury and replaced Vishwa Fernando for the hosts, who continued with their strategy of a three-pronged spin attack.

"It's a very important match. We haven't got many opportunities to beat Australia 3-0," Mathews said at the toss. "We are not thinking about the result too much though. We will look to do our processes right.

"We will look to put the runs on the board and put pressure on Australia."

Australia, whose top ranking in the format is at stake, dropped opening batsman Joe Burns and number three Usman Khawaja from their side, who have struggled against the hosts' spinners.

Left-handed batsman Shaun Marsh and all-rounder Moises Henriques, who last played a test match in March, 2013, were brought in instead.

"It looks like a pretty dry wicket again," Australia captain Steve Smith said. "Looks like it might take some turn from ball one.

"Hopefully we can have a good morning."

Teams:

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kausal Silva, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal (wicketkeeper), Angelo Mathews (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan

Australia: Shaun Marsh, David Warner, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Josh Hazlewood

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Greg Stutchbury)