Dinesh Chandimal has scored an unbeaten 63 as Sri Lanka struggled to 136-5 at lunch on Day 3 in reply to Australia's imposing first innings of 654 in the first cricket test.

Australia. Dinesh Chandimal 3 (12) Angelo Mathews 7 (10) Sri Lanka. Todd Murphy 1/14 (3) Sri Lanka vs Australia Live Score: Australia. Angelo Ma

Steve Smith has been labelled a tactical “genius” by Australian spinner Matt Kuhnemann after the stand-in skipper helped set up the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva on Friday.

Australia’s batters have feasted on Sri Lanka’s bowling, racking up milestones and dominance on a rain-curtailed opening day of the first test in Galle.

Australia's Usman Khawaja struck a maiden double hundred and Josh Inglis got a century on his test debut against Sri Lanka to power the tourists to a mammoth 654 for six before they declared their first innings on day two of the opening test on Thursday.

Sri Lanka is staring down the barrel at 44-3 after Australia achieved its largest ever total in Asia — 654-6 declared — on day two of the first test in Galle.

Dinesh Chandimal's unbeaten half-century and persistent rain in Galle delayed Australia's push for victory in the opening test against Sri Lanka on Friday. Only a 27-over session was possible on day three with Sri Lanka losing two wickets and slumping to 136-5 before rain stopped play.