Australia claimed only two wickets in the first two sessions of a rain-affected final day’s play of the first Test as Sri Lanka reached 4-186 at tea in their desperate bid to force a draw.

Sri Lanka require another 207 runs to win but that option was off the table well before lunch, with survival the main aim for the tourists.

Thilan Samaraweerea (38) and Angelo Mathews (11) are the batsmen at the crease, while controversial quick Peter Siddle (2-25 off 19 overs) has taken seven wickets for the match for Australia.

Sri Lanka team manager Charith Senanayake says the tourists have had an informal conversation with ICC match referee Chris Broad about Siddle allegedly lifting the seam on the ball.

“It’s unofficial, but it’s on video and the whole world has seen it so let’s see what action they will take,” Senanayake said.

In the only wicket to fall in the opening session, Michael Clarke completed a brilliant low catch at first slip despite nursing a hamstring injury to dismiss rival captain Mahela Jayawardene for 19 after a full-length delivery from Siddle.

Kumar Sangakkara was given out LBW to Shane Watson for 54 and Samaraweera was adjudged LBW to Siddle for 18, but both decisions were overturned on appeal to the third umpire.

However in a key breakthrough Sangakkara was LBW to Siddle on 63 at 4-151 after lunch and this time Sri Lanka found no love coming from the third-umpire after replays confirmed his dismissal.

Mathews was struck on the elbow by a short ball from Mitchell Starc and spent five minutes receiving on-field treatment before finally resuming at the crease.

Just 10 overs after taking the second new ball, Clarke made the bizarre move of throwing the ball to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade for a maiden over of medium-pace just before tea.

Phil Hughes took over behind the stumps.

Occasional spinner David Warner has also had a bowl.

Australia are a bowler short after paceman Ben Hilfenhaus broke down with a side strain during Sri Lanka’s first innings on Sunday and didn’t take the field for the second innings.

The home’s team’s hopes of victory are starting to fade, as they did in the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide last month when they failed to bowl the tourists out on the final day with a man down after fast bowler James Pattinson suffered a side strain.