Starc removed Dimuth Karunaratne for a duck with an lbw with the third delivery of the day, before O’Keefe did the same to Kaushal Silva (7), giving Sri Lanka a total of just 3-45 in the13th over of its second innings.

Spin bowlers Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe are expected to be unleashed either Thursday or Friday. 

The Aussies struggled on day two and were bowled out for 203.

Adam Voges top-scored for Australia with 47.