Australia must reverse the 40-year history of testing in Sri Lanka to secure a 2-0 series victory after DRS problems left them behind in the second test at Galle.
Sri Lanka reached the strains with 431-6 on the third day in response to Australia’s 364, already leading by 67 runs in the first innings.
It came after a fine of 118 that did not leave Dinesh Chandimal, while Angelo Mathews and debutant Kamindu Mendis joined Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis in the first half-century entry.
With two days to play, the odds are already well stacked against Australia.
Teams from outside Asia have only won once by conceding a first-leg advantage to Sri Lanka, having lost or drawn on the other 28 occasions. And none has returned with the deficit Australia already has.
Sri Lanka’s 149 more effort came after losing all 20 ports in just 81.5 overs in the first test, heavily defeated by Australia in just over two days.
But this is a very different port, devoid of the demons that caused a prodigious turn at the opening of the series.
Australia’s rapids have also not been able to generate any reverse swing, with the lush wicket square and outside field helping to preserve the ball.
There is still hope that the port could deteriorate on day five, although so far it has shown no serious signs of wear. But even if that is the case, it is likely that Australia will now be fighting for a draw rather than trying to force a result.
Tourists have also made life more difficult after running out of reviews in the first session on Sunday.
Chandimal should have been out on the 31st when he overcame a cut to Mitchell Starc, but Australia had no choice but to forward the call-up to the field of not coming out.
Veteran Mathews was also lucky enough to survive a lbw scream from Nathan Lyon that would have been under review, only to fall to the edge of Starc (2-47) in the next over 52.
Alex Carey also failed three times behind the strains, one of them an extremely difficult prospect when Chandimal danced through the harbor to Lyon on the 10th.
The ball spun sharply from the outside and beat batter and goalkeeper on the way to the thin leg.
Carey’s other great opportunity to beat Lyon, however, should have been taken advantage of when Kamindu Mendis was at 43, before the debutant was finally rejected by Mitchell Swepson (2-90) off the mark by 61.
The missed chances marked a difficult day for Lyon, who ended up with Niroshan Dickwella porting as he battled ramps during his 56 overs for 2-160.
The offspinner had started the day catching Kusal Mendis lbw in the third over by 85, at which point it looked like Australia could expose the lower order and gain an advantage in the first inning.
But Chandimal deviated from the mark by entering from the inside out and leading Lyon for four and six consecutive balls, setting the tone for a clinic by playing on the ground.