Michael Hussey rescued Australia with a battling 95 after Sri Lanka stung the tourists with pace and spin in the first cricket Test on Wednesday.
The crafty left-hander narrowly missed his 14th century as Australia, caught on a difficult dusty wicket, recovered from a shaky 157-5 at tea to 273 all out by stumps on the opening day.
Former captain Ricky Ponting was the only other batsman to resist the Sri Lankan bowlers, making a fluent 44 even as the top order floundered around him.
Seamer Suranga Lakmal and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed three wickets each to give Sri Lanka the edge in the series opener at the Galle International Stadium.
Hussey was last man out, leg-before wicket to Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, after a heroic four-hour knock that included three sixes.
Sri Lanka had one over to face before close, but the umpires called off play for bad light as soon as the batsmen had walked in.
Herath, a 33-year-old playing only his 28th Test despite making his debut at the same ground 12 years ago, finished with three for 54 from 24 accurate overs.
Lakmal, whose previous five Tests had fetched him just 10 wickets, returned with three for 55.
Both sides said the second day's play could dictate the course of the match.
"A lot will depend on how we bowl tomorrow," said Hussey, adding that the Australian total may look small but it is enough to keep them in the hunt.
"This is the driest first day wicket I have seen. The ball does tend to come up awkwardly. It will not be easy to bat on as the game progresses."
Herath said the morning session will be crucial.
"If we can end the day around 300-5 we will be in a very strong position," he said. "The key will be not to lose too many wickets before lunch.
"This wicket is no different from what we have seen in Galle in the past. There is bounce and turn, but bowlers still have to exploit the surface.
"I think we have done very well to restrict a team like Australia to under 300. But the batting too must come good."
There was no sign of the panic to follow when Australian captain Michael Clarke won the toss and decided to bat after the start was delayed by an hour due to overnight rains.
Australia raced to 28-0 in six overs, 22 of them coming from the blade of Shane Watson, who smashed Chanaka Welegedara for four boundaries in one over.
But Dilshan introduced Herath in the seventh over and the bowler met with immediate success when Watson was caught behind off his first delivery.
Lakmal was rewarded for a probing first spell when he had opener Phillip Hughes fending a rising ball to Tharanga Paranavitana in the slips, the batsman going for just 12 runs.
Clarke helped Ponting retrieve the situation by adding 55 for the third wicket on either side of the lunch interval.
But Clarke fell for 23 soon after the resumption. Sri Lanka asked for a television review after umpire Richard Kettleborough turned down a confident appeal for leg-before from Herath.
Replays confirmed the ball would have hit middle stump and TV umpire Tony Hill declared Clarke out.
Herath removed Ponting when the well-set batsman attempted a mighty heave off a ball that spun sharply, spooning an easy catch to Angelo Mathews at deep mid-off.
Ponting, the only member of the touring side to have played a Test in Sri Lanka before this trip, batted confidently to hit six boundaries.
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