Australia’s pace-bowling injury dramas continued on Sunday as Ben Hilfenhaus was taken to hospital for scans on a side strain during the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka resumed on day three on 4-87 in reply to Australia’s 5(dec)-450 at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval and the tourists reached 4-187 when umpires called an early lunch break at noon (AEDT) because of a heavy but brief shower.

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan was unbeaten on 103 from 151 balls with Angelo Mathews 45 not out.

They had shared an unbeaten 100-run stand to rebuild Sri Lanka’s innings after Australia had been in complete control on day two.

With his Test summer now in doubt, a downcast Hilfenhaus (1-30 off 12.2 overs) walked slowly off the field after being unable to complete his fourth over of the day.

The Tasmanian swing specialist joins Test quicks Ryan Harris, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins and 21-year-old Test hopeful Josh Hazlewood on the sidelines.

Hilfenhaus (knee) and fellow paceman Peter Siddle (hamstring) returned to the side for the Hobart Test after missing last month’s series decider against South Africa in Perth.

Left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, who claimed six wickets in Perth in his first Test for a year, was named 12th man for Hobart and would be the obvious candidate to replace Hilfenhaus for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests over the Christmas-New Year period.

Hilfenhaus had been working with Australia’s bowling coach Ali De Winter on his action after taking six wickets in two Tests against South Africa.