Michael Hussey continued his prolific form on Australia’s Sri Lanka tour with another century to lift the visitors to a first innings total of 316 in the third and final Test on Saturday.
Australia, who resumed their first innings at their overnight score of 235-5, suffered a lower order collapse to be bowled out 10 minutes before lunch on the second day at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
Sri Lanka, seeking a series-levelling win, were nine for no loss after three overs at lunch, with Tharanga Paranavitana on eight and Lahiri Thirimanne on one.
Left-handed Hussey followed a match-winning 95 in the first Test in Galle and 142 in the drawn second game at Pallekele with a fluent 118 studded with 12 boundaries and two sixes.
The 36-year-old West Australian, playing his 62nd Test, passed 5,000 Test runs on way to his 15th century — the fourth against Sri Lanka.
Hussey was last man out, bowled by debutant seamer Shaminda Eranga, who finished with four for 65 after taking a wicket with his first delivery in Test cricket on Friday.
Left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara claimed three for 75, while new-ball partner Suranga Lakmal took 2-60.
Brad Haddin put on 75 for the sixth wicket with Hussey before he was the first batsman to be removed in the morning session, caught behind off Eranga.
Hussey reached the 5,000-run mark with two consecutive boundaries off Welegedara that took his score to 99.
Hussey then watched from the other end as Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle were dismissed off successive balls by Welegedera, but Trent Copeland denied the seamer a hat-trick.
Hussey reached his century with a flick off Rangana Herath for a single, earning himself warm applause from his team-mates in the dressing room and 2,000 fans at the ground.
Welegedara picked up his third wicket when he had Copeland caught at second slip by Mahela Jayawardene as the Aussies slipped from 293-6 to 295-9.
Hussey scored 18 in a last-wicket stand of 21 with Nathan Lyon, including a reverse sweep off Herath to the third man fence after Sri Lanka had placed seven fielders on the leg-side.
Australia had been reduced to 22-2 in the ninth over on Friday after being sent in to bat by Sri Lanka skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan.
