As improbable as it was three weeks ago to think No.1-ranked Australia could lose their Test series to Sri Lanka, now it seems as unlikely they can avoid a 3-0 whitewash.
Angelo Mathews' mostly raw team, stung by a winless tour of England, produced a remarkable turnaround in Kandy before humiliating Australia in Galle last week.
Given the mental scars inflicted in their 229-run mauling in the southern coastal city, it's difficult to see how Australia can bounce back in the third Test which starts in Colombo on Saturday.
A Rangana Herath hat-trick and Usman Khawaja's dismissal in the second innings when he shouldered arms first ball to Dilruwan Perera and was bowled typified how fragile the tourists are psychologically.
Sri Lanka's spinners have put on a masterclass, admittedly on their home wickets that are often drier on day one than a day-four Adelaide Oval pitch, but Australia's batsmen haven't shown significant improvement as the series has worn on.
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Their totals in four innings have been 203, 161, 106 - their lowest-ever score against Sri Lanka in 28 matches - and 183.
Nonetheless, arguably with typical Australian bravado, David Warner vowed not to go into his shell despite him and his teammates being bamboozled by the home side's slow bowlers.
"You're sitting ducks when you're facing six balls in a row - one of them is going to have your name on it," the opener said after Australia's first training session at Sinhalese Sports Club on Thursday.
"Especially when one turns and one doesn't turn. It's a hard game.
"People don't realise that you're going out here day one and day two and it's turning square... so it's hard from ball one."
Unsurprisingly, first inspections of the strip in Colombo were that it's bereft of grass and expected to take turn on the first day.
That won't deter Warner from his usual aggressive mindset.
"Mike Hussey hit the nail on the head during the week, he said the way to come at this is to use your feet and you have got to be attacking," Warner said.
"For myself that's my best form of defence.
"When I am playing my best cricket I am actually going at the bowlers and putting pressure on them."
Unfortunately for Australia, they face the prospect of their third straight whitewash away to sub-continental teams following their 2-0 defeat to Pakistan in the UAE in 2014 and 4-0 loss to India in 2013.
And Sri Lanka's record at SSC is impressive, having lost only seven of their 39 matches at the ground although Australia haven't tasted defeat there in four matches.
AUSTRALIA'S TEST RECORD AGAINST SRI LANKA AT SINHALESE SPORTS CLUB
Played: 4
Won: 2
Lost: 0
Drawn: 2
MATCH RESULTS BETWEEN SRI LANKA AND AUSTRALIA AT SSC:
August, 1992 - Australia won by 16 runs
October, 1999 - Draw
March, 2004 - Australia won by 121 runs
September, 2011 - Draw
