McGrath took the first wicket of the day, removing Kaluwitharana

Australia gave themselves a fine chance of a 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka after gaining a 256-run lead with just one day remaining in Cairns.

The home side dominated day four of the second Test, taking the last five Sri Lankans wickets for just 35 and then reaching 194-2 at stumps.

Shane Warne and Jason Gillespie bowled beautifully after the entire first session was lost to rain.

And Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn batted brightly in the final hour.

After the early weather frustration, the tourists collapsed badly.

Romesh Kaluwitharana was the first to fall, edging Glenn McGrath to Warne at slip to depart for 34.

The other batsman not out overnight, Thilan Samaraweera, then edged Jason Gillespie to Ricky Ponting at second slip having hit 70 in a 199-ball vigil.

The last three wickets all fell on 455.

Matthew Hayden is in sight of a second century in the same Test

Chaminda Vaas was out to the same Gillespie/Ponting combination, Upul Chandana attempted to go down the track to Warne and was well stumped by Gilchrist and Lasith Malinga was run out by Darren Lehmann going for a quick single.

Australia had a first innings lead of 62 and soon began extending that advantage.

Two wickets were lost along the way.

Justin Langer was caught behind by Kaluwitharana off Nuwan Zoysa for eight and Ponting steered an easy catch to gully off the same bowler to fall for 45.

But in the final hour,Hayden and Martyn smashed the Sri Lankan bowlers all around the ground.

Hayden finished on 68 not out, with Martyn unbeaten on 52 off just 55 balls.

The right-hander, out for 97 in the first innings, hit one enormous six off the slow bowler Chandana, and followed up with three majestic consecutive boundaries off Vaas.

Australia: J Langer, M Hayden, R Ponting (capt), D Martyn, D Lehmann, S Katich, A Gilchrist, S Warne, J Gillespie, M Kasprowicz, G McGrath

Sri Lanka: M Atapattu (capt), S Jayasuriya, K Sangakkara, M Jayawardene, T Samaraweera, TM Dilshan, R Kaluwitharana (capt), U Chandana, C Vaas, N Zoysa, L Malinga.

Umpires: B Bowden (NZ) & A Dar (Pak)