Australia's pace bowlers claimed five wickets in the second session to reduce Sri Lanka to 122 for eight at dinner on day one of the series opening day-night test at the Gabba on Thursday. Niroshan Dickwella was 42 not out with Dushmantha Chameera yet to score at the break after Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal won the toss and chose to bat.
Debutant Jhye Richardson (3-26) produced a near unplayable delivery to bowl Kusal Mendis for 14. Six overs later, he had Dhananjaya de Silva caught behind for five to leave Sri Lanka at 66-5 for his third wicket of the innings. Roshen Silva batted cautiously to make nine off 56 deliveries before he edged a Pat Cummins' delivery to wicketkeeper Tim Paine.
In Cummins' next over, Dilruwan Perera received a nasty blow to his right thumb from a rising ball forcing him out of the field. Sri Lanka eventually reached 100 runs for the innings in the 46th over, before Suranga Lakmal was caught by Marnus Labuschagne at slip giving Mitchell Starc his 200th test wicket.
Perera (one) returned to the field but survived only minutes before becoming Starc's (2-41) second victim, offering another catch to Labuschagne. In the first session, Cummins and Richardson struck in successive overs in the first hour before Nathan Lyon claimed Dimuth Karunaratne to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 56-3 at tea.
Cummins (2-25) made the initial breakthrough in the 11th over teasing opener Lahiru Thirimanne (12) into an edge to Labuschagne at third slip. Richardson claimed his maiden test wicket the next over when he had Chandimal (5five) edging through to Joe Burns at second slip.
Moments before tea, Lyon (1-30) struck with a ball that bounced and brushed the glove of Karunaratne (24) which was claimed by Paine. The tourists are without all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who is out with a hamstring injury and been replaced by Dhananjaya de Silva.
After a 2-1 series loss to India, Australia has reshuffled their batting order, bringing in Burns to open with Marcus Harris. Kurtis Patterson is making his debut after scoring successive centuries for a Cricket Australia XI in last week's match against Sri Lanka in Hobart.