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Australias batsmen were guilty of poor decisions to squander their first innings advantage and begin the slide to defeat against Sri Lanka at Pallekele, while the left-arm spinner Jon Holland is all but assured of a Test debut in Galle. The coach Darren Lehmann offered these conclusions as he set about working with the captain Steven Smith to keep the tourists in the series and atop the world rankings.Lehmann has always emphasised the need for big first-innings runs, and noted that the bowlers claimed 20 wickets so could be seen to have done something like their best job in the first Test. He was far more critical of his batsmen, who fell in a rush on the second morning and left Australia with a first-innings lead of only 86 - not enough to safeguard against a brilliant innings by Kusal Mendis and exposure to Rangana Herath. Smiths second innings response, to play within his limitations and look for ones and twos, was closer to what Lehmann wanted.Theyve got to be better at decision-making. The disappointing thing was we gave up a big lead, Lehmann said of his batsmen. We shouldve made more runs in the first innings. We let them off the hook there. The positive was we got 20 wickets again. If we keep getting 20 wickets, it gives you a good chance that if your batters are making runs to win games of cricket.That was the pleasing thing for us, especially when we had a bowler down in the second innings. And theres enough upside there that we know were on the right path with the type of team we want to play. It gets down to just the execution against their spinners really. Weve been very good at first-innings runs in the last 12 months, and that was the big challenge. Your first-innings runs set up games, and that was what we needed to do.I thought some of the guys really applied themselves better in the second innings than the first. Probably decision-making cost them at the end of the day. That sort of innings was very good from Steven. The wicket might be different batting first here at Galle, if you win the toss. I think itll still spin from day one, but it just is what it is.The Australians were repeatedly hit on the pads or bowled by Herath deliveries that skidded on, much as they were by Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar in the UAE against Pakistan in late 2014. Too often the batsmen misread the length and were caught trying to defend deliveries they did not get to the pitch of, and Lehmann said this had been a matter for repeated discussion.Well, when theyre getting hit on the pads, its probably not spinning, Lehmann said. I think we had the problem in Dubai with Zulfiqar. So weve addressed that, we addressed in Dubai, obviously a different playing group, we addressed it before the series here. Theyve just got to get better at it. [Herath] Bowled at the stumps. Consistently at the stumps. Something that weve got to do.I cant remember a better preparation. I know that sounds a bit silly when you get bowled out for 200 and 160. I think the batters are in a really good space, probably their decision making wasnt quite up to scratch in this Test match - well, it wasnt up to scratch. We had starts but no-one go on with it, we had partnerships but no one had a big one, which is something we have done really well in the last 12 months - we have had big partnerships. Thats a challenge for the batting group, getting through those tough times.Now they have seen [Lakshan] Sandakan, it is going to be a lot easier to play and Herath is obviously a very quality bowler. They have got to work out a plan. We have talked about it a lot so they know what to do, its just executing more than anything else.Holland met the Test squad on their arrival into Galle on Sunday, and can expect a rapid promotion from Victorias Sheffield Shield final team, to Australia A in Brisbane, to a baggy green in Sri Lanka in the place of the injured Steve OKeefe. Hes obviously a very crafty left-arm spinner, Lehmann said. We obviously had that loss of SOK in the second innings which hurt us. But injuries happen so you cant complain about that.Hes tall, hes got good shape on the ball, he bowls at a decent pace. Im sure hell have success here. We think its a really good way to go. Well have to wait and see what the wicket is, but Im pretty sure well play two spinners again. Hes always been thought of really highly. Especially with the Shield final - he ended up with eight for the game and he bowled very well. So his record when hes up and fit has been excellent, hes just had a lot of injuries the last few years. FORT WORTH, Texas -- With all four spots in the chase for the Xfinity series championship open going into the final elimination race, Erik Jones wont need a season-best fifth victory to advance.And he probably wont be racing for it either, with the focus shifting to points at the top of the standings after Sprint Cup regular Kyle Larson won the Xfinity race at Texas on Saturday.Jones was tops among the eight Xfinity drivers still in title contention, finishing fourth behind Larson, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick. The 20-year-old is third in points, 10 behind Daniel Suarez, who has a one-point lead over Elliott Sadler.Because none of the Xfinity contenders won, all four spots are open next weekend in Phoenix. For the finale at Homestead, no Cup drivers will be on the grid with the title on the line.The toughest part of our chase is racing the Cup guys, Jones said. Had there been no Cup guys in the race, we would have won today and advanced. Yeah, were still going to chase a win (in Phoenix). Youve still got to be points racing and thinking about advancing at the same time.Larson held off Keselowski for his first Xfinity win in Texas and second of the season despite a brush with the wall with about five laps remaining. He said he should have won the fall Xfinity race in Texas a year ago, but cut a tire late in the race.I looked up in the mirror and I was like, `Ah, great, here he comes. Hes probably going to have a big run, Larson said about Keselowski, who closed within a couplee of car lengths on the final lap.dddddddddddd Actually, after that, I thought it tightened my car up and made it easier to drive up there.Larson led for the final 30 laps after Keselowski dominated most the race, leading 145.Suarez finished fifth despite a battery problem that had him worried about finishing the race. A bad alternator forced him to cut power less than halfway through, and he said he managed to keep his main battery alive until about final 40 laps.We were a little lucky that we had the issue right in the middle of the race, Suarez said. Maybe 20, 30 more laps and who knows if we were going to finish the race or not.While Suarez and Sadler are separated by a point at the top, the same is true for the final qualifying spot, barring a win from those with a bigger deficit.Blake Koch finished 14th -- seventh among the eight title contenders -- and is fourth in points and 16 behind Suarez. Justin Allgaier, who finished 10th after spinning out 72 laps into the race, is another point back.Ryan Reed, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Brendan Gaughan are all at least five points out of the final qualifying spot. But any of the eight can get into the final four with a win in Phoenix.At that point it is your whole season, Reed said. There is nothing left to lose there. You arent points racing at that per se. You have to go beat those guys by five positions. ' ' '