A match haul of six wickets and an enterprising 92 not out from Mitchell Johnson saw Australia scream to a hefty innings and 201-run triumph over Sri Lanka on day three of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Resuming on 440 for eight overnight, with Johnson unbeaten on 73, the hosts achieved a further 20 runs for their final two wickets. The left-handed all-rounder, however, was unable to reach the second century of his career, as tail-enders Nathan Lyon and Jackson Bird perished to seamers Angelo Mathews and Shaminda Eranga respectively to leave Johnson stranded eight short of three figures.
Fast bowler Johnson then returned to the fore of the home attack, adding to his four wickets in the first innings with a key brace in the second. Having injured wicketkeeper-batsman Prassana Jayawardene on day one, he also put the veteran Kumar Sangakkara on the list of walking wounded, and affected a run-out to cap a wonderful Man of the Match performance.
Sangakkara retired hurt after copping a painful blow to an index finger from a rising Johnson delivery, while Jayawardene and tail-ender Chanaka Welegedara did not bat due to respective thumb and hamstring injuries. Sangakkara and Welegedara have been ruled out of the final Test, while Jayawardene’s participation remains in the balance.
Johnson started Friday’s rot with the run-out of opener Dimuth Karunaratne (one) in the first over and removed former captain Tillakaratne Dilshan (zero) with the next ball, when fielder Ed Cowan pouched a catch at square-leg.
Debutant Bird made matters worse for the troubled visitors, bowling skipper Mahela Jayawardene for a duck and trapping middle-order stalwart Thilan Samaraweera lbw for one just before the lunch break.
Sangakkara (27) and Mathews (35) provided some resistance and, when the former left the field for treatment, the closing throes of the one-sided match only needed fast bowler Peter Siddle to get rid of Eranga for a duck – and seal a two-one series win for the Australians.
It was only the second time ever a team was bowled out despite losing just seven wickets, and Sri Lanka will rue what could have been had Sangakkara and Jayawardene been able to continue.
The Aussies, meanwhile, regardless ongoing concerns overr the match fitness of all-rounder Shane Watson and captain Michael Clarke, will know full well a series whitewash is in the offing come the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground next week.
