Cricket: Hilfenhaus joins Oz bowling injury list

Australia's pace-bowling injury dramas continued yesterday as Ben Hilfenhaus was taken to hospital for scans on a side strain during the first test against Sri Lanka.

With his test summer now in doubt, a downcast Hilfenhaus (1-30 off 12.2 overs) walked slowly off the field after being unable to complete his fourth over of the day.

The Tasmanian swing specialist joins quicks Ryan Harris, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins and 21-year-old hopeful Josh Hazlewood on the sidelines.

Hilfenhaus (knee) and fellow paceman Peter Siddle (hamstring) returned to the side for the Hobart test after missing last month's series decider against South Africa in Perth.

Left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, who claimed six wickets in Perth in his first test for a year, was named 12th man for Hobart and would be the obvious candidate to replace Hilfenhaus for the Melbourne and Sydney tests over the Christmas-New Year period.

Tillakaratne Dilshan's century and Hilfenhaus' injury helped Sri Lanka stage a fightback yesterday.

Sri Lanka resumed on 4-87 and were bowled out for 336 after tea on day three in reply to Australia's first innings of 450 for 5 declared as Siddle gave a heroic performance to claim 5-54.

Siddle - who bowled himself to the point of exhaustion when Pattinson broke down with a side strain in the Adelaide test against South Africa last month - performed a similar role yesterday and sent down 25.3 overs including 11 maidens.

Dilshan scored 147 and shared a record fifth-wicket stand of 161 with Angelo Mathews (75).

Siddle finally broke through in the sixth over with the second new ball when Mathews was out lbw at 5-248 shortly before tea.

Mitchell Starc then bowled Dilshan to make it 6-289.

The aggressive Dilshan hit 21 fours in his seven-hour knock, posting his 15th test hundred and second against Australia.

Siddle removed Prasanna Jayawardene lbw for 40 on a third-umpire referral.

Rangana Herath was also lbw to Siddle for a duck. Unfortunately for the batsman, TV replays showed an inside edge on to his pad but the tourists had no referrals remaining.

Australian fast bowling casualty ward

Patrick Cummins (back) - aiming for an Ashes tour comeback

James Pattinson (side) - ruled out for the test season

Josh Hazlewood (foot) - another month on the sidelines

Ryan Harris (shoulder) - aborted a Big Bash League return

John Hastings (back) - cleared of serious damage but rested from BBL

Ben Hilfenhaus (side) - unknown

- AAP