Sri Lanka fought back to dismiss Australia for 517 and reach 184 for two in their first innings reply on Saturday at the close of the second day of the second Test in Cairns, Australia.

Kumar Sangakkara and Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu put on 138 for the second wicket before wrist spinner Shane Warne had Sangakkara caught in the deep for 74.

Atapattu was unbeaten on 75 from 114 balls including eight boundaries and Mahela Jayawardene not out nine by the close.

Earlier, leg spinner Upul Chandana was Sri Lanka's chief wicket-taker with a return of five for 109 while young fast bowler Lasith Malinga took four for 148.

Australia lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning by 149 runs in Darwin last week.

Justin Langer, who had put on 255 for the first wicket with Matthew Hayden (117), was first man out on Saturday for 162, caught at slip off Malinga.

Chandana's five victims included Damien Martyn, leg before wicket for 97, and Darren Lehmann, caught at long on for 50.

Australia had resumed at 370 for two, adding 104 runs in the pre-lunch session for the loss of five wickets. Australia were all out soon after lunch, losing their last seven wickets for 63 runs.

Warne was out at lunch for two, caught at slip off Chandana. The 31-year-old Chandana, playing his 12th Test, also claimed the wickets of Simon Katich for one and Kasprowicz for nine.

Pushing for quick runs, Australia went to lunch at 474 for seven but lost Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz cheaply after the break.

Adam Gilchrist was then out for 35 following a 32-run stand for the last wicket with Glenn McGrath (0 not out).

With the wicket holding few terrors, Sri Lanka have laid the foundation for a competitive score.

Scoreboard:

Australia first innings: (overnight 370-2)
J.Langer c Jayawardene b Malinga 162
M.Hayden c Jayasuriya b Samaraweera 117
R.Ponting c Atapattu b Malinga 22
D.Martyn lbw b Chandana 97
D.Lehmann c Sangakkara b Chandana 50
S.Katich b Chandana 1
A.Gilchrist c Kaluwitharana b Malinga 35
S.Warne c Samaraweera b Chandana 2
J.Gillespie c Kaluwitharana b Malinga 1
M.Kasprowicz c Atapattu b Chandana 9
G.McGrath not out 0

Extras (w-4 nb-7 lb-3 b-7) 21

Total (all out, 124.2 overs) 517

Fall of wickets: 1-255, 2-291, 3-392, 4-454, 5-462, 6-469, 7-474, 8-475, 9-485.

Bowling: Vaas 27-2-102-0, Zoysa 19-5-72-0, Samaraweera 17-3-55-1, Malinga 29.2-2-149-4 (w-4, nb-7), Chandana 26.2-2-109-5, Jayasuriya 6-0-20-0.

Sri Lanka first innings:
S.Jayasuriya c Gilchrist b Gillespie 13
M.Atapattu not out 75
K.Sangakkara c Gillespie b Warne 74
M.Jayawardene not out 9

Extras (b-1, nb-6, w-1, lb-5) 13

Total (for two wickets, 53 overs) 184

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-156.

To bat: T.Samaraweera, T.Dilshan, R.Kaluwitharana, U.Chandana, C.Vaas, N.Zoysa, L.Malinga.

Bowling: McGrath 11-3-23-0 (nb-3), Gillespie 17-3-57-1 (w-1), Kasprowicz 12-3-39-0 (nb-3), Warne 13-1-59-1.