Mitchell Starc: Footholes in Sri Lanka affecting us

Australia lost the first two Tests comprehensively, but showed signs of fight on day two of the third and final Test as Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh combined for 120 runs to end Sunday 141-1, 214 runs behind the hosts.

Starc has shown few signs of being affected in his run-up during the series and had earlier on day two taken his third five-for of the series, ending the Sri Lanka innings of 5-63.

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon - a former groundsman at the Adelaide Oval - blasted deep footholes after day one and Starc has joined in with condemning an issue he says is not a new one for the Colombo Test.

"It's not great," Starc said. "Nathan mentioned a few things yesterday about how it is after a day-one wicket.

"The fact that they fill the holes with not much and it was still wet this morning, and has been after each innings that we've bowled through the series, and the fact they've probably bowled 15 overs of pace through the whole series, it is a bit easier for the spinners to land on than it is for our quicks.

"I understand the wicket is what it is and both teams play on that, but the actual bowling crease has been pretty disappointing this Test match."

Starc paid tribute to Smith and Marsh's stiff resistance on Sunday, but admitted it counted for little, having already suffered a series defeat.

"The boys started the innings really well," Starc said. "We're one down, unfortunately, but the way Shaun and Steve played through that last session was great, what we've looked for the whole series.

"It's just a couple Test matches too late. But positive signs, obviously. We've got four Test matches in India early next year, so we're making good steps forward. It's just happened too late in this series."