Australia almost doubled their previous best total of the series against Sri Lanka on Monday, but it still wasn't enough to give them the upper hand in the third Test in Colombo.
At stumps on day three, the home side were 1-22 in their second innings to trail by just two runs.
Australia wasted a brilliant base laid by centurions Shaun Marsh and Steve Smith to be bowled out for 379 in reply to Sri Lanka's 355.
Australia's innings had much in common with Sri Lanka's as one massive record partnership provided the bulk of the runs at Sinhalese Sports Club.
A 246-run partnership between Marsh (130) and Smith (119) lifted Australia to a dominant position midway through the third day but in familiar fashion for this tour, they stuttered against Sri Lanka's spinners.
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At 1-267 on a wicket holding up surprisingly well given it's been baking under the hot Colombo sun, Australia were well set to edge up towards the 500-run mark as they aim for their first Test win in the subcontinent since 2011.
However, Rangana Herath once again put the tourists in a spin as they lost 9-112 to leave the match delicately balanced.
With Australia to bat last on the parched surface and Herath, Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan ready to fizz the ball out of the rough patches, they will want to restrict Sri Lanka to 250 to have a decent chance of a consolation series win.
Herath claimed 6-81 for the 25th five-wicket haul of the 38-year-old left-armer's career.
The Marsh-Smith partnership was the highest second-wicket stand for Australia in Tests against Australia and replicated the partnership shared by Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal whose 211-run stand steered Sri Lanka.
It was sparsely used paceman Suranga Lakmal who made the breakthrough, bowling Marsh when the left-hander made a late decision to leave the ball but got an inside edge onto his stumps.
But he was relieved to get to three figures, especially after wife Rebecca and son Austin arrived in Colombo on Sunday night.
"It was hard work or sure," he said.
"I really enjoyed today.
"It's great to be back playing Test cricket for Australia and to be out there today was a lot of fun."
Smith departed 15 balls later when he was beaten by a wicked Herath delivery as he dragged his foot from his crease and was narrowly stumped.
It exposed Moises Henriques to Herath and the left-armer toyed with the recalled NSW allrounder.
Henriques got Herath's full repertoire of subtle turn, sharp turn and sliders before dismissing the 29-year-old stumped in similar fashion to Smith.
All of a sudden Australia were in familiar territory, shuffling unconvincingly to the home side's skilful spinners.
Adam Voges (22) and Mitch Marsh (53) ground away to make it to tea, but wickets tumbled again soon after the break.
Marsh's wait for a big score goes on, the allrounder having made 25 or more in each of the four innings at No.6 in this series.
Australia's previous best series total was 203 from the first innings of the first Test in Kandy.
