Starc spearheads big win
Mitchell Starc roared back to life and Australia fired again with a 366-run flogging of Sri Lanka to wrap up a 2-0 Test series victory and reclaim the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy.
Starc doubled down on his firstinnings five-wicket haul to take 5-46 on Monday, running through Sri Lanka with his first 10-wicket haul in a match on home soil.
In their last Test before David Warner and Steve Smith’s likely Test returns for the Ashes, Australia claimed their first multi-game series victory in any format since the balltampering saga last March.
Sri Lanka were as disappointing as any touring team to Australia, all out for just 149 on Monday chasing an unlikely 516 for victory.
But most pleasing is the manner in which Australia had annihilated them to win the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy.
After an-innings-and-40-run victory in Brisbane, Joe Burns, Kurtis Patterson, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja all made centuries, before Starc claimed another five wickets to finish with 10-100 for the match at Manuka Oval to end a long summer.
‘‘We were quite disappointed with the way we played against India,’’ captain Tim Paine said.
‘‘I think the differences between the two series were our ability to bowl as a group against India wasn’t quite there at times.
‘‘The way that we played in these last two Tests matches — I think we can beat anyone in the world.’’
Beaten from pillar to post for most of the summer, Starc produced the quickest Test bowling spell in his career, according to Fox Sports — regularly sending down 150km/h thunderbolts.
After taking 5-54 in the first innings, Starc made his intent known from Monday’s second over when he nipped a ball back to bowl Dimuth Karunaratne before getting Dinesh Chandimal for four at third slip.
It capped off a horror tour for the Sri Lankan captain, who should have been the team’s rock but scored just 24 runs at an average of six.
Starc’s pre-lunch spell was just as menacing with two wickets in two balls, bowling Niroshan Dickwella before Kusal Perera inside edged to wicketkeeper Paine for a golden duck.
He later came back to wrap up the match, bowling Vishwa Fernando for a duck for the second-best match figures of his career and his first 10-wicket haul at home.
Pat Cummins claimed three scalps on Monday to highlight his hot run, finishing the summer with 28 wickets. He averaged of 7.78 against Sri Lanka to be named man of the two-Test series.
His diving caught-and-bowled to knock over opener Lahiru Thirimanne for 30 was the snare of the day, while he also mopped up Dilruwan Perera and Chamika Karunaratne late. Rookie Jhye Richardson and spinner Marnus Labuschagne took the other wickets.