SPIN once again proved too much for Australia's batsmen in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Pallekele last night, with more misery staring the tourists in the face next week. 
Veteran spinner Rangana Herath claimed 5-54 and match figures of 9-103 to roll Australia for 161 before tea on the fifth day of play.
Herath and debutant spinner Lakshan Sandakan dominated in the home side's 106-run win, taking 16 wickets between them.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Sandakan baffled Australia's batsmen, while 21-year-old Kusal Mendis set the game up for the home side with a brilliant second-innings knock of 176.
The tourists now face the daunting prospect of Thursday's second Test in Galle being staged on a raging turner. Steve O'Keefe, the spin bowler who has been ruled out of the Galle Test because of a hamstring injury, limped out to bat yesterday with Australia's score on 8-157.
Herath bowled with seven close-in catchers to O'Keefe, who was reluctant to sprint for any singles.
O'Keefe appeared to be caught at bat-pad off the bowling of off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva, but umpire Richard Kettleborough said it was pad only and Sri Lanka had no reviews left in the 79th over.
Kettleborough gave O'Keefe out lbw three overs later against the bowling of Herath, but the batsman called for a review which showed an inside edge.
Wicketkeeper Peter Nevill shared a ninth-wicket stand of four runs with O'Keefe in 178 balls at a run-rate of 0.13, before Nevill was out caught behind. It's the lowest scoring rate in a partnership in Test history, with a minimum of 100 deliveries.Herath fittingly claimed the final wicket, bowling O'Keefe for four and roaring with delight. Australia lost 4-58 in the first session yesterday, including 3-2 off 18 balls, after resuming on 3-83.