Dilruwan Perera persisted to ball around the wicket at David Warner and was asking questions from the batsman, despite the fact that he was in good touch. In to the fourteenth over of Australia's first innings, he found the outside edge and the catch was taken at the slips by Angelo Mathews. Umpires called it a day with the dismissal of Warner. He was on 42 while Australia was 54 for 2.

Earlier in the innings debutant Vishwa Fernando took the wicket of Joe Burns in the second ball of the match, and second ball of his Test career. Then it was all Warner, until Dilruwan Perera disturbed the status.

Batting first, Sri Lanka put on 281 after two quick blows and a partnership. Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis joined at the middle at the Galle Stadium with Sri Lanka 2 for 9. Starc got both openers. The two Kusals made a 108 run partnership for the third wicket before Perera fell one short of his half century. Mendis and Mathews started to build a good partnership when Mendis fell for 86 when the score was on 184. There were a few starts but no big partnership afterwards as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 281.

Mitchell Starc made the best out of the day with 5 for 44.