Sri Lanka lost one wicket and Australia lost one bowler in the first two sessions of day three of the first Test in Hobart on Sunday as paceman Ben Hilfenhaus broke down with a side strain.
Sri Lanka resumed on day three on 4-87 in reply to Australia’s 5-450 and moved to 5-249 at tea with a mixture of careful defence and loose off-drives on a docile pitch.
Tillakaratne Dilshan was unbeaten on 132 at tea after sharing a record fifth-wicket stand of 161 with Angelo Mathews (75).
Pace spearhead Peter Siddle finally broke through in the 86th over and sixth with the second new ball when Mathews was out lbw at 5-248.
Siddle fought on admirably to claim 2-44 from 22 overs with Hilfenhaus out of the attack.
The aggressive Dilshan posted his 15th Test hundred and second against Australia in nine matches, belting 19 boundaries 19 from 257 balls.
Prasanna Jaywardene is yet to score.
It was a tough day for the small crowd of 3735 who braved the elements, with heavy rain causing umpires to call an early lunch at noon with the score on 4-187.
David Warner missed two run-out opportunities after lunch, firstly when Dilshan was on 114 and then when Mathews was on 53.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade launched a half-hearted appeal for caught-behind against Dilshan on 125 from the bowling of Siddle and was turned down.
Channel Nine’s replays showed a nick which would have been upheld if Australia captain Michael Clarke had called for a referral to the video umpire.
Hilfenhaus grimaced in pain after delivering the second ball of his fourth over of the day and after consultation with Clarke, the swing specialist walked slowly from the field and was taken to hospital for scans.
The Tasmanian joins Test quicks Ryan Harris, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins and 21-year-old Test hopeful Josh Hazlewood on the sidelines.
Left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson – 12th man in Hobart – would be the obvious candidate to replace Hilfenhaus for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests over the Christmas-New Year period.