Australia has elected not to enforce the follow-on despite bowling Sri Lanka out for 246 late on day three of the second Test at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Chasing 5 for 542 declared, the Sri Lankans lost five wickets in the middle session as they fell far short of Australia's total, with only captain Mahela Jayawardene (104) offering any real resistance.
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Jayawardene was the last man out when he spooned a Brett Lee delivery straight to Michael Clarke at deep square leg.
His century was his first against Australia and 19th overall but only his fifth outside of Sri Lanka.
Lee was the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking 4 for 82 off 23.2 overs.
Clark finished with 2 for 32, Stuart MacGill 2 for 81 and Mitchell Johnson 1 for 44.
Jayawardene's gutsy century against the odds served to prolong Australia's time in the field and is surely the catalyst for Australia captain Ricky Ponting's decision to rest his bowlers.
Australia made inroads as early as the sixth over of the day's play when Lee removed Vandort's middle pole, sending the batsman back to the pavilion for 14.
Four overs later he had Atapattu (25) swiping at a searing, swinging delivery which zoomed to gully and was well taken by Clarke at the second attempt.
Clark opened the bowling and was tight without much luck, but the pressure eventually told just seven minutes before lunch when Mitchell Johnson dismissed danger man Kumar Sangakkara.
Sangakkara, who missed the first Test in Brisbane with a torn hamstring, slashed a delivery to Michael Hussey at gully and was out for 57.
Sangakkara could quite easily have been dismissed when he was on 4, but the third umpire gave him the benefit of the doubt when Hussey could not be sure whether he took a low, diving catch at gully off Lee.
Then when he was on 13, Sangakkara edged a chance behind but wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist somehow contrived to grass an easy chance.
Sri Lanka struggled throughout the middle session with MacGill getting in on the act, clean-bowling Sanath Jayasuriya for 3 and then having Chamara Silva caught behind for 4.
Clark's first wicket was that of wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene, caught behind for a duck.
Jayawardene held firm and got to triple figures with the support of Lasith Malinga, who faced 25 deliveries for his 1.
Ponting took the new ball immediately after Jayawardene registered his ton and Clark wasted no time in bowling Malinga first ball.
