Sri Lanka was 3 for 127 at lunch after Mitchell Johnson dismissed star batsman Kumar Sangakkara just seven minutes before the interval on day three of the second Test at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Sangakkara slashed a Johnson delivery to Michael Hussey at gully and was dismissed for 57.
Skipper Mahela Jayawardene was unbeaten on 22 at the lunch break with new batsman Sanath Jayasuriya yet to open his account.
The tourists are still 415 runs behind Australia's first innings total of 5 for 542 declared.
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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 Brett Lee.
Then when he was on 13, Sangakkara edged a chance behind but wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist somehow contrived to grass an easy chance.
The Australian quicks bowled with high pace and verve in the first session with Lee taking the scalps of openers Marvan Atapattu and Michael Vandort.
Lee removed Vandort's middle pole in just the sixth over of the day and four overs later had Atapattu swiping at a searing, swinging delivery which zoomed to gully and was well taken by Michael Clarke at the second attempt.
Vandort made just 14 and Atapattu 25.
