At the break, Mathews was on 42 and Prasanna Jayawardene had 5, and Sri Lanka had moved on to 337 for 5, giving them a 21-run lead at just past the halfway point of the match. Australia's only breakthrough in the session came when Dilshan, on 83, was caught behind by Brad Haddin, who was standing up to the stumps to the seamer Trent Copeland.

It wasn't a pretty take, as Dilshan tried to guide the ball to third man but glided it straight on to Haddin's right leg, before the ball bobbed up and into the wicketkeeper's midriff, where he clung on with his gloves. It ended a 121-run partnership between Dilshan and Mathews, a fifth-wicket record for Sri Lanka against Australia, beating a 19-year-old record set by Arjuna Ranatunga and Hashan Tillakaratne.

Dilshan had looked far more comfortable down at No.5 than he had while opening in the first two Tests. He went for his shots early and was still keen to use the pace of the second new ball, his driving an especially strong feature of his game, and he brought up his half-century from his 70th delivery, with a punch through point for four off the offspin of Nathan Lyon.

Mathews was equally impressive having been promoted one place to No.6. He had struck five fours in a watchful innings, not for the first time in this series showing his preparedness to settle in for the long haul when the opportunity presents itself. He loomed as the key to how far Sri Lanka pushed in front of Australia, after the rest of the top order gradually disappeared on the third day.

Australia picked up the key wickets of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene before lunch, although both men looking in fine touch for the first hour of the day. Just after Jayawardene brought up his half-century with an upper-cut for four off Shane Watson, he perished for 51 when he drove at Watson and edged behind when the ball move just a fraction away from him.

It was a wicket against the run of play, Australia having had few encouraging moments in the 101-run partnership. The news was even better for the visitors when Peter Siddle struck in the first over with the new ball, when he found some extra bounce and nipped the ball just far enough off the seam away from the left-hander Sangakkara to entice an edge.

Sangakkara had made 79 and looked good for a century in his hundredth Test, but his departure left Sri Lanka four down and still 106 runs adrift of Australia. However, by tea Dilshan and Mathews had erased that deficit, and although much work remained, Sri Lanka were in a reasonable position as they sought to level the series.