Sri Lanka’s fightback, however, might have come too late with their struggling batting-order faced with a tough task in their second innings on a deteriorating surface.

Carey and Smith’s magnificent partnership of 259 ended less than 20 minutes into the day’s play. In another batting record for Australia in this series, it was the highest fourth-wicket partnership by a visiting pair in Sri Lanka in Tests, bettering the 258-stand between Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh in Pallekele in 2011.

Australia resumed in a powerful position at 330 for 3, but they knew there was work to do in their bid to only bat once in this match.

After such a limp performance in the backend of day two, Sri Lanka desperately needed a spark and they immediately took the second new ball. Jayasuriya looked to attack Smith from around the wicket and found bite off the surface that he had been unable to find for much of the series.

But Smith seemed revitalised after looking gassed by the end of day two and disrupted the lengths of the spinners by skipping down the pitch.

Carey overtook his highest first-class score of 143 in style with a firm sweep that rocketed to the boundary and he also moved past Adam Gilchrist’s 144 as the highest score by an Australian wicketkeeper in Asia.

Jayasuriya was rewarded for his attacking line and lengths when Smith’s stout defence was finally breached by a brilliant delivery that pitched on off stump and gripped off the surface.

Smith walked off immediately and received a rousing ovation, but his dismissal reinvigorated Sri Lanka and brought a different complexion to the game. Josh Inglis made his way to the crease one spot lower in the batting-order after spending time off the field during Sri Lanka’s first innings because of a back spasm.

After scoring a memorable debut ton in the first Test, Inglis found himself in a tougher position and had a nervous moment first ball when only an inside edge saved him from being plumb lbw. But Inglis’ stumps were rattled on the next delivery when he played back to a full delivery that skidded on.

Jayasuriya was on a roll, but Carey’s presence still loomed large for Sri Lanka and he brought up his 150 as the lead passed 100 runs.

However, Carey on 156 finally succumbed to the sweep, a stroke he had been almost faultless through the innings, when he played over the top of a Jayasuriya delivery and was clean bowled.

All eyes were on 21-year-old debutant Cooper Connolly, who boasted a first-class average of 61.80 from four matches but three of those was at the pace-friendly WACA ground. This was an initiation into Test cricket for Connolly, who was beaten by a sharp offbreak from Nishan Peiris, who was Sri Lanka’s most threatening bowler on day two.

Connolly has proven to be a big-game performer in his fledgling career, backing his aggressive instincts, and he got off the mark in trademark cavalier fashion with a boundary albeit off a top-edge from a full-blooded sweep.

But Connolly didn’t add to his tally and was too ambitious when he skipped down to Peiris only to slice to backward point in an ugly dismissal. Peiris was denied another wicket when Starc was dropped at short leg by Pathum Nissanka before he had scored.

Beau Webster steadied the situation briefly, but had a difficult time. He was trapped lbw by Jayasuriya on 20 only for umpire Joel Wilson to once again have to overturn a decision. He was also dropped by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis on 25 off Ramesh Mendis as Sri Lanka’s fielding woes continued.

But Webster was soon bowled by a big offbreak from Ramesh as Australia’s tail quickly fell away.

Brief scores: (Day 3 Lunch)

Australia 414 (Alex Carey 156, Steven Smith 131; Prabath Jayasuriya 5-151,  ishan Peiris 3-94, Ramesh Mendis 2- 81 ) lead Sri Lanka 257 by 157 runs