Australia will bank on Nathan Lyon backing up one of the biggest workloads of his Test career to spin them to victory in Galle against Sri Lanka.
Australia will bank on their ironman Nathan Lyon to bowl through the fatigue barrier and towards a fourth-innings victory in Galle on day five.
Lyon sent down 35 overs on Sunday, as Sri Lanka went to stumps on day three at 6-431 and with a lead of 67 over Australia in their first innings.
But the visitors are adamant all hope is not lost in Galle, eying the chance to contain Sri Lanka's lead to around 100 and forcing them to bat last on the final day.
For that plan to succeed, much of the onus will be put on Lyon.
The offspinner has already sent down 56 overs for the match, and is all but certain to surpass his own biggest workload of 57.2 overs in an innings on Monday.
He also battled cramps late in the day, drinking pickle juice as he tried to fight through the Galle humidity with his figures of 2-160.
But with the pitch expected to deteriorate, Australia will bank on him to deliver.
"We're comfortable with where he's physically at and the job that he can do," McDonald said.
"There's nothing to suggest that he's tiring or, or ageing or anything like that. I think he's bowling as well as he ever has.
"We saw that last week (when he took nine for the match) and we're seeing it again today.
"Switching his angles of attack is something he probably hasn't done a lot of in his career. I thought he was quite dynamic in the way that he did that today.
"And every time he gets presented with a challenge, he finds a different way to do it. I think it's an improvement from last time."
Mitchell Swepson will also play a crucial role, arguably bowling better in the second Test on a harder wicket for figures of 2-90 than he did in the first.
But first, Australia must break through Sri Lanka early on Monday and then bat well to give themselves something to bowl to.
Australia have only once previously overcome a first-innings deficit greater than 25 to win in Asia, back in 2006 against a minnow side in Bangladesh.
"At the moment we're behind, that's our problem, we have to work through that," McDonald said.
"Tomorrow presents another opportunity in the morning session to get that number eight batter in Mendis, and we believe they do have a long-ish tail.
"(If we can) keep that lead to about 100 and we're well and truly in this game with a fantastic batting unit who can still go about their work on what is still a very true surface."
