The 30-year-old Sri Lankan left-arm pace spearhead passed 250 Test wickets with a haul of 5-31 off 18.3 overs to dismiss Australia for 207 off 71.3 overs after sending the world's best team into bat on a slow seaming drop-in pitch.

Any concerns that Sri Lanka's attack would not have the potency to take 20 wickets on Australian pitches were blown away with Vaas and Test new-boy Lasith Malinga unhinging the home team's batting.

Australia folded after grafting to 177 for three at tea, losing their last seven wickets for 30.

At stumps, Australia bounced off the ropes, claiming the wickets of skipper Marvan Atapattu (4), Kumar Sangakkara (2) and Sanath Jaya-suriya (8), to be 43 for three in reply and 164 runs behind.

Mahela Jayawardene was on 12 with nightwatchman Nuwan Zoyza not out 8.

Glenn McGrath gained some much-needed confidence in his comeback from ankle surgery, bowling Atapattu and then trapping Jayasuriya leg before wicket to move into fifth on the all-time Test wicket rankings with 432, while Gillespie claimed his 200th Test wicket with an lbw decision on Sangakkara.

Australia downed Sri Lanka 3-0 in the last series in Sri Lanka last March, but in all three Tests they trailed on the first innings only to fight back and take victory in the second innings.

Vaas was given stout support by 20-year-old Malinga, who impressed on his Test debut with the prized wickets of Darren Lehmann (57) and skipper Adam Gilchrist (0) in one exhilarating over to trigger the Australian batting collapse for Vaas to mop up the tail.

Malinga, with the 'sling-shot' bowling action reminiscent of Australian bowling great Jeff Thomson, had top-scorer Lehmann lbw and three balls later sent Gilchrist on his way, gloving a catch to Sangakkara.

"He's (Malinga) different. He's hard to pick up early but once you get used to him, it's just the variable bounce adjusting to him, some come through and some don't... and he lets them go, he's got some pace," Lehmann said.

Shane Warne, playing his first home Test since a 12-month drug ban, was run out by a Russel Arnold throw to Sangakkara for two and Simon Katich was out for a watchful nine off 43 balls to Vaas caught by Sangakkara.

Jason Gillespie became Vaas' 250th Test wicket when lbw for four and McGrath lasted one ball before he was snapped up by Tilan Samaraweera at second slip off Vaas.

The performance of Vaas and Malinga was a big tonic for Sri Lanka, who arrived here without world record holder Muralitharan, who pulled out for personal reasons.

Malinga troubled the Australians with his unpredictable line from his round-arm action, none more so than Lehmann, who took several 140-plus km/h bruises in his 124-minute vigil.

The Lankan bowlers backed up skipper Atapattu's bold call to send Australia into bat with the big wicket of opener Matthew Hayden for 37 soon after lunch.