De Silva, playing his 298th one-day international in a career that has spanned 19 years, became the third man to pass 9000 runs after Sachin Tendulkar (11,546) and Mohammad Azharuddin (9378)

The veteran 37-year-old right-hander, who will retire from international cricket after the World Cup, worked hard for his 44 from 73 balls as Sri Lanka lost their way after a brisk start.

Avishka Gunawardene, playing his first game of the series as Sanath Jayasuriya rested, scored freely during the early overs, adding 64 in 14.3 overs with acting captain Marvan Atapattu (26).

But Australia’s bowlers, backed up good fielding, slowly clawed their way back into the game from the time that Atapattu flicked a catch into the hands of Brad Hogg at square leg.

Gunawardene, provided a controversial reprieve by television umpire Steve Taufel on 44 when he looked to have been run out, added 36 runs with number three batsman Kumar Sangakkara (43) before being trapped lbw by wrist-spinner Brad Hogg.

The powerful left-hander, Sri Lanka’s reserve opener for the World Cup, had scored 45 from 72 balls hitting four boundaries. Hogg, set to be replaced by leg-spinner Shane Warne in the triangular series final against England, went on to claim the wickets of Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene during a key 10-over spell that yielded just 37 runs.

Sangakkara, who hit two sixes and two fours in his 42, was caught trying to loft straight down the ground whilst Jayawardene misread a googly and was stumped for a second ball duck to leave Sri Lanka on 135 for four.

Arnold (14) added 31 runs with De Silva for the fifth wicket but the run rate slowed gradually and the left-hander was eventually bowled as Brad Williams returned to the bowling attack.

When Chaminda Vaas (1), promoted ahead of Hashan Tillakaratne (9 not out) and Jehan Mubarak (15), was run out in the 43rd over after a lackadaisical piece of running, Sri Lanka looked in danger of being bowled out inside their allotted overs.

However, De Silva added 31 useful runs with Mubarak before being caught as he tried to hit his first boundary of the innings.

Tillakaratne and Mubarak then scrambled 12 runs from the final over before Mubarak was trapped lbw off the last ball of the innings.