Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc(C) makes an appeal during the first day of the opening Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia at The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on July 26, 2016. / AFP / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)

Australia has started the Test series against Sri Lanka in the best possible way, dismissing the hosts for just 117 on day one of the opening test.

The bowlers shared the wickets around, with Hazlewood and Lyon claiming three each, Mitchell Starc finished with two wickets, as did spinner Stephen O'Keefe.

Sri Lanka reached 5-84 at lunch after winning the toss, before adding a miserly 33 runs in the second session.

In response, Australia lost two early wickets, with Warner (0) and Burns (3) both falling within the first four overs, to be 2-7.

Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith then steadied the ship for the tourists, with Australia reaching 2-66 when rain halted play and stumps was called.

Khawaja finished on 25 not out, while Smith was unbeaten on 28, with Australia 51 runs behind Sri Lanka.

AUSTRALIA XI: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Steve O'Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

SRI LANKA XI: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Angelo Mathews (c), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan