Damien Martyn has well and truly ended his run drought and it looks like he's ended a long dry spell for the people of Kandy.

After more than two years without a Test ton, the West Australian has now scored two inside a week and both have been second innings efforts after Australia had its back to the wall against Sri Lanka.

Martyn was 104 not out and Andrew Symonds was on six, with Australia on 5-320 and leading by 229, when rain stopped play on the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy.

It's rain that hasn't been seen in Kandy for months and the effects of a seven-month drought are obvious in the mountainous region where lakes and damns are bordering on empty.

Given the antiquated state of the covers, it's doubtful whether there will be any more play.

Martyn's century in the previous Test in Galle was also accompanied by regular evening rainfall which was totally unexpected and out of season.

And while this ton brought the rain, it also put Australia into a strong position after the world champions trailed by 91 runs on the first innings.

In helping his team out of the mire, Martyn has scored one of the slowest centuries ever made by an Australian.

He spent 381 careful minutes making his seventh Test century. Coming in at 1-11 and Australia still 80 runs behind Sri Lanka, Martyn has anchored his team's rescue mission.

Only three players have taken longer than Martyn's six hours and 21 minutes to post a century.

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