Jaques' Quality Shines Through
Malinga - left out by Sri Lanka.
Phil Jaques made an instant impression as Justin Langer's replacement as Australia ended day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka on 242-3.
The left-hander rode his luck after a nervous start to smash an excellent century, his first in Test cricket.
Fellow opener Matthew Hayden contributed a fluent 43 to get the innings off to a fast start after rain had shortened play in the morning.
Skipper Ricky Ponting then came in to score 56 but the tourists battled back after tea, Australia slipping from 183-1 as Muttiah Muralitharan picked up two wickets.
After deciding to bowl first, Sri Lanka - who left out paceman Lasith Malinga - did not help themselves by not taking their chances in the field.
Jaques was dropped three times in his innings, twice off the unfortunate Muralitharan, while Michael Hussey also got a repreive when he was put down at mid-wicket.
Australia cashed in to close in a strong position, Hussey going on to make unbeaten 28 alongside Michael Clarke (five not out) when bad light ended play early.
The weather had also curtailed much of the opening session, overnight rain delaying the start before showers returned to allow just 11 overs before lunch.
Hayden did lift the gloom with a typically dominating knock that saw him hit five crisp fours in his 63-ball stay at the crease that was ended by a smart running catch by Muralitharan.
He had done the bulk of the scoring in an opening stand of 69 as Jaques, given the nod to open after the retirement of Langer, struggled under the pressure.
The presence of Ponting seemed to calm his nerves and the pair built a solid partnership of 114 for the second wicket.
Muralitharan dismissed both batsmen before the close though, Ponting the first to go when he stretched too far forward and was smartly stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene.
The same combination also worked together to get rid of Jaques, the centurion losing his head not long after reaching three figures and charging down the pitch at the spinner but missing the ball, leaving the wicketkeeper with a far easier second stumping.