The hosts closed on 81 for one off 22 overs in reply with Shane Warne taking the sole wicket to fall on his return from a 12-month drugs ban.

Muralitharan ripped through Australia's batting to finish with figures of six for 59 from 21.3 overs, taking his career tally to 491 wickets in his 86th Test.

Australian middle order batsman Darren Lehmann provided the main resistance on his return to the national side after an Achilles injury with a battling 63.

Lehmann added 72 for the fourth wicket with Damien Martyn (42) and a useful 53 for the seventh wicket with fellow returnee Warne (23).

Australia's hopes of building a big total were dashed when they suffered a mid-afternoon collapse, losing three wickets for 15 runs, and then a dramatic post-tea slump during which the last four wickets fell for five runs in the space of 13 balls.

Sri Lanka openers Sanath Jayasuriya (35) and Marvan Atapattu (29 not out) then added 53 for the first wicket before Jayasuriya missed a sweep and was trapped lbw by Warne.

It was Warne's 492nd Test wicket.

The tourists, who elected to bat, lost Justin Langer for 12 after the opener edged an attempted square cut to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara, who held on to the catch at the second attempt.

Fellow opener Matthew Hayden enjoyed some good fortune in the first hour as Sri Lanka's only paceman Chaminda Vaas spilled a difficult return catch off his bowling when the left-hander had scored 19.

Hayden was eventually dismissed for 41 when he miscued a sweep off Muralitharan to square leg fieldsman Upul Chandana, who sprinted to his left to make a sharp catch.

Ricky Ponting, who had started positively with four quick boundaries, was then stumped for 21 after being lured down the track by a well-flighted Chandana leg break to leave Australia in trouble on 76 for three.

REPAIRED DAMAGE

Lehmann and Martyn repaired some of the damage, batting positively as they added 72 in 131 balls either side of the lunch interval.

But Kumar Dharmasena, bowling to a 7-2 leg side field, broke the partnership when Martyn swept a catch straight to Mahela Jayawardene at leg slip.

Martyn had scored 42 from 81 balls and hit three boundaries.

Debutant Andrew Symonds was caught at slip by Jayawardene a few minutes later for a duck and Adam Gilchrist's (4) poor form continued as he miscued a sweep shot to leave Australia teetering on 163 for six.

Lehmann partially rescued the innings again with Warne before Muralitharan ran through the tail immediately after the tea interval.

Lehmann was bowled behind his legs, Warne edged a Vaas off-cutter behind, Michael Kapsprowicz was bowled by a fizzing off break and Stuart MacGill was trapped lbw.

The last two wickets fell off consecutive deliveries.

Thilan Samaraweera tore a muscle in his right groin during the first session and may have to bat with a runner in the Sri Lanka innings.

Earlier, Australian fast bowler Brett Lee failed a late fitness test on an injured left ankle while Kasprowicz returned to the side after a three-year absence.

The second of the three-match series starts in Kandy next Tuesday with the final contest taking place in Colombo from March 24.

Scorecard

Australia first innings

J.Langer c Sangakkara b Dharmasena 12
M.Hayden c Chandana b Muralitharan 41
R.Ponting st Sangakkara b Chandana 21
D.Martyn c Jayawardene b Dharmasena 42
D.Lehmann b Muralitharan 63
A.Symonds c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 0
A.Gilchrist c Dharmasena b Muralitharan 4
S.Warne c Sangakkara b Vaas 23
J.Gillespie not out 4
M.Kasprowicz b Muralitharan 1
S.MacGill lbw b Muralitharan 0

Extras (b-3 lb-6) 9
Total (all out, 68.3 overs) 220

Fall of wickets: 1-31 2-62 3-76 4-148 5-153 6-163 7-215 8-219 9-220

Bowling: Vaas 12-2-39-1, Dharmasena 20-4-52-2,
Muralitharan 21.3-5-59-6, Chandana 14-1-59-1, Jayasuriya 1-0-2-0

Sri Lanka first innings

M.Atapattu not out 29
S.Jayasuriya lbw b Warne 35
K.Sangakkara not out 16

Extras (b-1) 1
Total (for one wicket, 22 overs) 81

Fall of wicket: 1-53

To bat: H.Tillakaratne, M.Jayawardene, T.Samaraweera, T.Dilshan,
K.Dharmasena, U.Chandana, C.Vaas, M.Muralitharan

Bowling: Gillespie 6-1-15-0, Kasprowicz 6-1-18-0, Warne 5-0-17-1,
Symonds 3-0-20-0, MacGill 2-0-10-0