COLOMBO, Oct 23: Sri Lanka flew out to Australia on Tuesday determined to win their first Test Down Under after an improved performance in recent away matches.

“We have played consistently good cricket away from home in the recent times, so we want to maintain that,” captain Mahela Jayewardene said before the team’s departure. “Obviously we want to beat Australia. We have to play as a team and put up our best effort to try and win the series.”

Sri Lanka will play two Tests in Brisbane and Hobart next month, before returning to Australia in February for a limited-overs tri-series also featuring India.

Sri Lanka have lost six Tests and drawn two in Australia since their maiden appearance there in 1988.

In recent times, Jayawardene’s team have drawn Test series in New Zealand and England and were runners-up at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.

The tour is important for off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who needs nine wickets to overtake retired Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne’s world record tally of 708 wickets.

Sri Lanka open the tour with a three-day match against a Cricket Australia invitation team in Adelaide from Oct 27-29.

They play another warm-up match against Queensland in Brisbane from Nov 2-4 before the first Test starts at the Gabba, Brisbane on Nov 8.

The second Test will be played in Hobart from Nov 16.

Sri Lanka squad: