Sri Lanka all out for 294 on day 1 vs Australia

Australia's four-pronged pace attack overcame spirited resistance from Lahiru Thirimanne and Mahela Jayawardene before dismissing Sri Lanka for 294 to end the opening day of the third test against Australia on Thursday.

Both Thirimanne, who scored a career best 91 just three days after joining the Sri Lanka squad as an emergency replacement, and Jayawardene, who hit 72 in his penultimate innings as captain, threatened to make a sunny day in Sydney their own.

Ultimately though, Australia captain Michael Clarke's decision on winning the toss to send his pacemen out to bowl first was all but vindicated and the hosts will have finished the day confident they can wrap up the series 3-0.

Jackson Bird, the least experienced of the quartet, took 4-41, Mitchell Starc 3-71 and Peter Siddle grabbed a brace with spinner Nathan Lyon pitching in to end Thirimanne's knock just shy of his maiden test century.

Brought in for his first test since last April to replace the injured Kumar Sangakkara, Thirimanne had shown a fight that had largely been absent from the batting of his better-known compatriots on the tour so far.

The 23-year-old lefthander survived an lbw decision on his first ball courtesy of the television appeal and assumed the mantle from Jayawardene when his captain was dismissed after his first half century outside Sri Lanka for more than three years.

Thirimanne reached his second half century with a cover drive off Mitchell Johnson for three runs and, punishing any loose deliveries, smashed 13 fours and a six in his 151-ball knock.

The end to his innings came chasing another boundary off Lyon and it took an exceptional catch from David Warner at cover point to snare the miscued drive, leaving the batsmen bowed over his bat in despair.

Injuries had forced Jayawardene into naming a team with four changes from the side that was thrashed by an innings and 201 runs in Melbourne last week and he seemed determined to make up for that humiliation, on his own if necessary.

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