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1982-83

In Australia's first ever tour of Sri Lanka, the teams played a one-off test at Kandy. Australia won the toss and elected to bat on a flat wicket. Australia piled on the runs and declared at 514/4. Kepler Wessels and David Hookes scored big hundreds. Hookes' hundred came in just one session. Sri Lanka needed 314 to avoid the follow on and never looked like achieving it when their first three wickets fell with just nine runs on the board. A 96 run partnership between skipper Mendis (74) and Arjuna Ranatunga (90) helped Sri Lanka reach a respectable score. They were eventually bowled out for 271, with off-spinner Bruce Yardley capturing 5 wickets. Forced to bat again Sri Lanka needed 243 to avoid an innings defeat. But once again they capitulated to spin, with debutante Tom Hogan taking 5 wickets. The only major contribution was Sidath Wettimuny's 96 in their total of 205. Sri Lanka lost the test by an innings and 38 runs.

Captains: LRD Mendis (SL) and GS Chappell (Aus)

Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0

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1987-88

In the only test at Perth, Allan Border won the toss and elected to bat. The top order batsmen handled the inexperienced Sri Lankan attack with ease. Dean Jones scored a hundred. At 346/3, Australia was all set to post a mammoth total. The re-introduction of pace bowlers Kaushik Amalean and Joseph Ratnayeke ensured that Australia were restricted to 455. Sri Lanka came out to bat requiring 255 to avoid following on. They were bundled out for 194 with only Arjuna Ranatunga offering any resistance. Sri Lanka came out to bat again, needing 261 to avoid an innings defeat. The Sri Lankans couldn't stand up to pace bowlers Merv Hughes and Tony Doodemaide captured 9 wickets between them and bundled out the Sri Lankans for 153. The Lankans lost the match by an innings and 108 runs.

Captains: AR Border (Aus) and RS Madugalle (SL)

Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0

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1989-90

In the first test of the two match series Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field. Australia scored 367 thanks to a century by Tom Moody. For the Sri Lankans, Labrooy captured 5 wickets. Sri Lanka lost Mahanama early, but a stroke-filled innings of 167 by Aravinda de Silva helped Sri Lanka reach 418. Australia batted for the remaining one and a half days of the test. Mark Taylor made a fine 164 and the match was drawn. In the second test at Hobart Sri Lanka won the toss and put Australia in to bat. Rumesh Ratnayake's six wicket haul helped restrict Australia to 224. Before they knew it, Sri Lanka had lost three wickets with just 18 on the board. Aravinda de Silva and Roshan Mahanama rescued the Sri Lankan innings with a fourth wicket partnership of 128 runs. Thereafter the Sri Lankan innings collapsed with the last six wickets falling for just 28 runs. The Australian second innings began badly as well, Boon and Moody departing with 10 on the board. Centuries by Mark Taylor, Dean Jones and Steve Waugh, helped Australia to declare at 513. Unable to bat out little over five sessions, Sri Lanka lost the match by 173 runs despite half centuries from Aravinda de Silva, Joseph Ratnayeke, and Ashok de Silva. Once again, the Sri Lankans had gone down to the Aussies.

Captains: AR Border (Aus) and A Ranatunga (SL)

Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0

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1992-93

The first test was played at the SSC ground in Colombo. Australia recovered from 124/7 to 256 with the help of Healy and the other tailenders. Sri Lanka scored a mammoth 547/8 declared mainly due to centuries by Gurusinha, Ranatunga and keeper Kaluwitharana, making his debut. Australia replied strongly making 471. Sri Lanka had to score 171 to win the test match, and they were well on the way at 132/3, when Warne and Matthews triggered off a collapse. With the last 7 wickets going down for 32 runs it was all over for Sri Lanka. It was Warne's first major performance in a test. Sri Lanka lost the test by 16 runs, Matthews was named Man of the Match award for his all round performance. The 2nd test was affected by rain and bad light. Australia was bowled out for 247. The Sri Lankans suffered yet another collapse when they went from 240/4 to 258/9. McDermott did most of the damage. Australia declared at 296/6, with Dean Jones scoring an unbeaten hundred. Sri Lanka had to make 286 in 54 overs to win and were not able to do so. The match ended in a draw. In the third and final test Australia were dismissed for 337 with Border scoring a century and the last five wickets putting on 279. Ramanayake claimed 5/82. Sri Lanka lost early wickets and declared at 274/9. Rain caused delays and the test meandered to a draw. Greg Matthews scored his fifth consecutive fifty. Allan Border was declared Man of the Match.

Captains: A Ranatunga (SL) and AR Border (Aus)

Australia 1 Sri Lanka 0

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1995-96

Sri Lanka toured Australia to play a three test series. In the first test Sri Lanka were bowled out for 251 with McGrath claiming four wickets. An opening stand of 228 between Taylor and Slater ensured that Australia would set a massive total. Slater helped himself to 219 and M. Waugh scored 111. Australia declared at 617/5. Sri Lanka needed 366 to avoid an innings defeat. They fell 36 runs short despite a fighting century by Tillekaratne. In the second test Sri Lanka put Australia in to bat. The Australians piled on the runs and declared at 500/6. Off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan was called for chucking by umpire Darrell Hair seven times. The Sri Lankans were bundled out for 233, with McGrath claiming 5/40 in 23.4 overs. Sri Lanka were forced to follow on. They scored 307 led by Gurusinha's 143. Australia reached their victory target of 41 runs easily.At the beginning of the thirt test veteran opener Boon announced that this test would be his last. Australia batted first and Steve Waugh was in immaculate form scoring 170. Sri Lanka dropped four catches and helped Australia amass 502/9 declared Sri Lanka was then dismissed for 317 with Reiffel and McGrath claiming five and four wickets respectively. Australia declared their second innings at 215/6, setting Sri Lanka a target of 401. Sanath Jayasuriya started off aggressively and Sri Lanka reached 50 in the ninth over. He scored 112. However yet another batting collapse ensued and enabled Australia to make a clean sweep of the series.

Captains: MA Taylor (Aus) and A Ranatunga (SL)

Australia 3 Sri Lanka 0