Toss: Sri Lanka. Test debut: R. Herath. With Muralitharan's deceptive spinners still causing profound embarrassment, Australia received a "get out of jail free" card when rain limited play on the last three days to little more than two hours. One full day should have been enough for a dominant Sri Lanka to apply more pressure on the Australians' brittle batting and clinch the series. Steve Waugh defied medical advice and four broken bones in his nose to lead Australia. Having decided against fielding in a helmet, he also took up his normal position in the gully instead of the safer option of mid-on. There was instant jubilation for the Australians when McGrath had Jayasuriya caught at second slip by Mark Waugh with the first ball of the match. But overall it was a mixed day for them, despite more vintage bowling from Warne. Sri Lanka were 254 for six by stumps; again, de Silva, batting three and a half hours for 64, was their mainstay.

Next morning, Vaas advanced to a breezy 41 which ended when he tried to slog his third boundary in four balls. As the ball flew up in the air and Ponting took the catch, Fleming continued directly down the pitch and firmly brushed Vaas with his right shoulder before turning to celebrate with his team-mates. Referee Cammie Smith conducted a hearing but refused to disclose what action he had taken; the ICC confirmed that Fleming was fined half his match fee. Replying to Sri Lanka's eventual total of 296, Slater and Blewett appeared to put Australia in a sound position with an opening stand of 138 – only the third, and the highest, century partnership for Australia's first wicket in 40 Tests. Blewett, Slater's opening partner since the Caribbean Tests, hit only his second half-century in his last 20 innings, but their good work was undone after tea when Muralitharan exploited a pitch aiding turn with a wicket-to-wicket spell of five for 22 in 13.1 overs. Slater missed his 13th Test century by four, his sixth score in the nineties.

Not even the weather could disguise the ineptitude of Australia's batting. On the third day, which was restricted to a late final session after heavy overnight rain, they lost their remaining five wickets inside an hour to be all out for 228, 68 behind on first innings. This time it was Sri Lanka's debutant left-arm finger-spinner, Rangana Herath, who did the damage. Having begun the day with nought for 78, he now claimed four for 19 from 6.3 overs and demonstrated a wonderful delivery, bowled out of the front of his hand, which turned back into right-handers.

In the event, it was all to little avail. The fourth day was washed out completely and only 18 minutes' play was possible on the fifth before another tropical storm flooded the ground. Sri Lanka, 55 without loss and leading by 123, could reflect on what they might have achieved; Australia had fewer reasons to be cheerful, other than the fact that the series remained open. Man of the Match: M. J. Slater.

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