Australia v Sri Lanka: Hosts win second Test to clinch series

Ed Cowan and Jackson Bird

Australia swept to an innings-and-201-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second Test to wrap up the three-match series with a game to spare.

The tourists, who lost first-innings top scorer Kumar Sangakkara to a broken hand, were bowled out for just 103 before tea on the third day at the MCG.

Mitchell Johnson, having made 92 not out in Australia's total of 460, took 2-16 and debutant Jackson Bird 2-29.

The final Test in Sydney starts on 3 January.

Australia, who won the first Test by 137 runs, converted their overnight 440-8 into 460, and Sri Lanka never threatened to overhaul a first-innings deficit of 304 as they slipped to 13-4, their cause hampered by Prasanna Jayawardene and Chanaka Welegedara being unable to bat because of injury.

"The boys went pretty hard at their batters with the short ball and they didn't like it," said man of the match Johnson, who took six wickets in the match.

"That intimidation factor definitely worked out there today. Unfortunately for them, they got a few injuries out of it."

Dimuth Karunaratne was run out in comical fashion after three balls and Tillakaratne Dilshan fended Johnson's next delivery to short leg.

In the next over Mahela Jayawardene, withdrawing his bat, was bowled via an inside edge by Bird, who then trapped Thilan Samaraweera lbw.

A recovery of sorts was curtailed when Sangakkara was struck on the left hand by a lifter from Johnson, an injury that forced him to retire hurt on 27 and rules him out of the third Test and the three one-day internationals that follow.

Angelo Mathews, who top-scored with 35, dragged on as he attempted to pull Johnson, and the dismissals of Dhammika Prasad and Rangana Herath in successive overs sealed Australia's crushing victory with seven sessions to spare.

"We played a really bad game of cricket," said Sri Lanka captain Jayawardene. "We started the tour off pretty well in Hobart with the Test match but here we seemed to never get anything going for us. We just gave up."

Clarke, who suffered his first series defeat as captain against South Africa earlier this month, said: "It's a really good step for us as a team, knowing we let a few opportunities against South Africa slide when we were on top.

"Throughout this Test match we've capitalised on the momentum we've had.

"This is our standard now, we've got to continue to get better from here. I think we need to be realistic as well. It's about consistency.

"It's nice we've done it in the first two Tests against Sri Lanka and it's great we've won the series, but we have a lot of work to do as a team."

Australia all-rounder Shane Watson will also miss the third Test after suffering a calf strain in Melbourne.