Sri Lanka, beaten in the first two matches, were bowled out for 248 with just 15 balls remaining in the dramatic last session while chasing a 370-run target.

The hosts looked set to prevent an Australian sweep when they were placed at 156-2 midway through the afternoon session, with Thilan Samaraweera (53) and Mahela Jayawardene (37) batting defiantly.

But Warne changed the course of the match, taking four scalps for 26 runs off 13 overs in the last session which saw the hosts lose six wickets for 62 runs.

He was brilliantly supported by part-time left-arm spinner Darren Lehmann, who lived up to his reputation of breaking stubborn partnerships to finish with 3-42.

Warne finished the series with 26 wickets to take his tally to 517, behind only retired West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh's world record of 519.

His hopes of breaking the record in this match had disappeared after Lehmann's triple-strike.

Warne, who had taken 513 scalps, needed seven in the second innings but his first wicket came after Sri Lanka had lost four batsmen.

He, however, still had the last laugh.

It became a pressure game in the last session as Warne bowled with as many as four fielders close to the bat on a turning track and appealing passionately whenever the ball rapped on the pads.

Australia took the new ball in a last-ditch attempt to wrap up the innings and fast bowler Jason Gillespie soon struck, trapping skipper Hashan Tillakaratne (17) leg-before.

Gillespie bowled just two overs before being replaced with Warne, who turned even the new ball to dismiss tail-enders Nuwan Zoysa and Chaminda Vaas.

Fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz then gave the finishing touches when he trapped Rangana Herath leg-before, triggering celebrations in the team.

Lehmann provided a crucial breakthrough when he had Samaraweera stumped, drawing the batsman out of the crease and beating him with his turn.

Samaraweera, who hit seven fours in his fifth Test half-century, had kept his team's hopes alive of saving the match with a 64-run stand for the third wicket with Jayawardene.

Lehmann struck again when he had Jayawardene caught behind.

Warne had gone wicketless in the first two session before beating Kumar Sangakkara with a huge turning delivery, the batsman chopping it on to his stumps.

He then had stroke-happy Tillakaratne Dilshan (31) caught by Damien Martyn at wide mid-off for his second victim.

Lehmann stole the limelight in the morning session when he got a wicket with his first ball, having Sanath Jayasuriya (51) caught at short-leg by Simon Katich. The batsman hit seven fours in his second successive half-century.

Jayasuriya had survived on 28 when he edged Kasprowicz, but wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist failed to hold on to the chance after diving nearly in front of first slip.

Kasprowicz did not have to wait long for his first victim as he sent opener Marvan Atapattu's off-stump flying with a fuller-length delivery that came in to beat the batsman.

Atapattu added only nine to his overnight score of five.