Australian pacemen James Faulkner and Mitchell Starc restricted Sri lanka to 227 for eight despite half-centuries from Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal in the first ODI on Sunday.
Faulkner and Starc, who became the fastest to reach 100 wickets in his 52nd match, shared seven wickets between them to validate skipper Steve Smith's decision to bowl first at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium.
Starc, who took three wickets, struck with the fourth ball of the innings to have opener Kusal Perera trudging back to the pavilion for one.
Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kusal Mendis, who scored 67, then came together for a 42-run second-wicket partnership to bring some stability to the innings. Mendis, whose 176 in the first Test remained the defining knock of the three-match series, registered his fourth half-century in only his eight ODI.