Michael Kasprowicz's five-wicket haul helped Australia clinch a series winning 40-run victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo.
It could have been so different for the hosts, though, as Kumar Sangakkara's third one-day century left his side in what appeared a commanding position.
Chasing the Aussie total of 233, wicketkeeper Sangakkara led the charge with 101 from 139 balls before eventually being dismissed with the score on a promising 148 for four.
But the final six Sri Lankan wickets fell for a paltry 45 runs as the tourists clinched an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-game series.
Australia enjoyed instant success when opener Srinath Jayasuriya edged to keeper Adam Gilchrist with no score on the board, giving Kasprowicz his first wicket of the day.
Marvan Atapattu and Sangakkara battled back and put on a partnership of 78 before, on 19, the former picked out Michael Bevan - later to depart injured with a groin problem - just short of the boundary while attempt to hit Brad Hogg out of the ground.
Mahela Jayawardene came to the crease next and added 25 before misjudging a drive off the bowling of Jason Gillespie and giving Gilchrist an easy catch.
Kasprowicz then struck for a second time with five more runs added to the Sri Lankan total to present Gilchrist with the third of six eventual catches and end Sangakkara's brilliant knock.
The hosts never recovered from Sangakkara's loss, and Ian Harvey quickly forced an edge from Saman Jayantha (1) to Gilchrist.
With the score on 158, Andrew Symonds ran out Tillekeratne Dilshan after collecting Ricky Ponting's throw after the batsman had contributed just five runs.
Upal Chandana and Kaushal Lokuarachchi threatened a revival with a hard-worked partnership of 31, but when Chandana edged Kasprowicz to Gilchrist while on 13, the momentum was lost.
Chaminda Vaas lasted just two balls before the same combination accounted for his wicket with no score added, and when Kasprowicz trapped Lokuarachchi (18) lbw with the score on 190, the game was effectively over.
Hogg wrapped things up by trapping Nuwan Zoysa lbw after he had notched two runs.
Earlier, Australia lost both openers, Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, and Damien Martyn inside the first 13 overs as they slipped to 62 for three having won the toss and opted to bat.
The first wicket to fall was that of Gilchrist in the sixth over when the wicketkeeper-batsman edged Zoysa behind to Sangakkara for 14.
Hayden also failed to hit the heights as he was dismissed by Vaas for 15, caught by Zoysa, while Martyn could only contribute one before he was sent on his way by spinner Lokuarachchi.
Australia are not regarded as the premier Test and one-day team in the world for no reason though, and the inevitable fightback was led by captain Ponting and all-rounder Symonds.
The duo put on a stand of 74 for the fourth wicket before Ponting became the first of three victims for spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
Ponting had smashed two sixes and eight fours in making 67, his 40th one-day half-century for Australia, when he was snared lbw by Sri Lanka's king of spin.
Muralitharan also accounted for Symonds (53) and Bevan (14) to bring Sri Lanka back into the match just as Australia were looking dangerous.
Bevan's dismissal left Australia on 201 for five and started a collapse which saw Sri Lanka claim four wickets for five runs in under two overs.
Harvey made only four before he was run out, while Upul Chandana sent back Hogg and Kasprowicz for ducks.
Australia staged another recovery with Michael Clarke and Gillespie adding 27 runs for the last wicket before Clarke (36) was snared by Chandana.