Upul Chandana's match figures of 10-210 were his best in Test cricket

They had lost the four previous Tests between the two sides, including a three-day defeat in Darwin last week.

"The way we came back from when they were 370-2 at the end of the first day, this is not a bad result at all.

"I am very happy about the way the team has fought during this tour," Atapattu commented.

"Compared to Darwin, this was a more cricketing wicket and we enjoyed playing on it.

"Pitches back at home are much slower but as batsmen, we love playing on pitches with true bounce and pace."

The game ended with Sri Lanka 183-8 after Australia had declared their second innings with a 354-run lead.

"We have guys who can bat down to number 10, so I was quite confident," said Atapattu.

"I'd be lying if I said we were relaxed. We were cheering every ball at the end."

Shane Warne claimed four victims to equal Muttiah Muralitharan's world record total of 527, but the Sri Lankan batsmen did their absent team-mate proud by preventing him from breaking it.

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Atapattu reserved special praise for Upul Chandana, who filled Muralitharan's role as their main spin bowler admirably with five wickets in each innings.

"It was somebody's opportunity to step up and do the job for us and Upul did tremendously," he added.