Australia's Lyon says 'game even' at Galle

Australia's Nathan Lyon on Wednesday said the first Test is in the balance after his five-wicket haul helped bowl out Sri Lanka for 212, but the hosts hit back with three wickets on day one.

The tourists reached 98 for three at stumps after Sri Lankan spinner Ramesh Mendis struck twice, including David Warner's key wicket for 25, on a turning pitch at the picturesque Galle stadium.

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella made a defiant 58 before the Sri Lankan innings folded in the final session of a quick-moving game.

"I was really proud the way we came back after tea and stuck to our plans, and we were able to get the late rewards and knock them over," Lyon said on bowling out the hosts after they took tea at 191-6.

"Saying that, I see this game as even. There's still a lot of work to do."

In the Australian innings, Steve Smith was run out on six after a mix-up with opener Usman Khawaja, unbeaten on 47, and returned to the pavilion waving his hands in dismay.

Khawaja and fellow left-hander Travis Head, on six, were batting with Australia still trailing by 114 runs in their first innings.

Mendis, an off-spinner, trapped Warner lbw after the left-handed opener hit five boundaries in an attacking stay at the wicket.

Marnus Labuschagne was out to an attempted reverse sweep, but it was Smith's wicket that brought the home crowd alive. The former captain was turned down midway for a quick single by Khawaja and failed to make the crease despite a desperate dive.

Khawaja, who survived a missed stumping by Dickwella, kept up the fight to the close of play.

But Lyon, who bagged his 20th five-wicket haul in Tests, stood out for Australia and combined with fellow spinner Mitchell Swepson, a leg-spinner who took three wickets, to