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Australia demolish Sri Lanka with days to spare

Australia demolish Sri Lanka with days to spare
© PA Photos
Australia beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 201 runs in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Australia have secured victory over Sri Lanka in the Boxing Day Test with over two days to spare in Melbourne.

The hosts won by an innings and 201 runs to go 2-0 up in the three-match series.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Sri Lanka were skittled out for 156 on day one.

Australia responded with an innings of 460, which came to an end just before lunch on day three, leaving man of the match Mitchell Johnson stranded on 92 not out.

After coming agonisingly close to a century with the bat, Johnson quickly bounced back to show his class with the ball.

He was involved in the first two wickets of Sri Lanka's second innings, running out Dimuth Karunaratne for one before having Tillakaratne Dilshan caught behind for a golden duck.

Debutant Jackson Bird then dismissed Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera to leave the tourists reeling on 4-4.

Kumar Sangakkara provided brief resistance for Sri Lanka, however he was soon forced to retire hurt on 27 after his left index finger was left fractured by a pacey delivery from Johnson.

Angelo Mathews provided a knock of 35 from 48 balls before becoming Johnson's next victim.

The Sri Lankan tail-end then quickly collapsed, as the tourists' second innings concluded on 103 after just 146 deliveries.

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Robert Summerscales
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Australian captain Michael Clarke celebrates after scoring a century against Sri Lanka on December 27, 2012
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