By Julian Linden
HOBART, Australia, Nov 20 - Australia beat Sri
Lanka by 96 runs on Tuesday to win the second test at Bellerive
Ova and complete a 2-0 series sweep.
The Australians wrapped up victory in the third over after
lunch on the fifth and final day when Sri Lanka were dismissed
for 410 despite a defiant 192 from Kumar Sangakkara, the
highest score by a Sri Lankan in a test against Australia.
The tourists resumed on 247-3, needing a further 260 runs
to reach an unlikely victory target of 507, but lost six
wickets in the extended morning session then their last batsmen
12 minutes after the restart.
Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, who was named man of the
match in both tests, captured four for 87 to finish with 16
wickets for the series.
The victory was Australia's 14th consecutive test triumph,
leaving them two short of the world record they set between
1999 and 2001, with a chance of setting a new mark in the
upcoming home series against India starting on Dec. 26.
"The end results probably say that this series has been
easy win for us but there's a lot of hard work that goes into
winning any test match," Australia captain Ricky Ponting told a
news conference.
"We played well in the first test in Brisbane and we
carried a fair bit of that over into this game in Hobart.
"Once again, I thought our batting on day one and most of
day two was absolutely outstanding and set the game up early
and Brett led the way again with the ball."
JAYAWARDENE DISAPPOINTMENT
Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene conceded his side had
been outplayed by a better team but could not hide his
disappointment at losing the series 2-0.
"I felt we had a very good team, a good attack but the way
we played wasn't very consistent," Jayawardene said.
"We couldn't penetrate that top order, which was very
disappointing. And the way we batted was disappointing as well
-- particularly the first innings we played in both test
matches.
"That gave us a lot of problems in the whole series. It's a
very disappointing series."
Lee triggered the collapse when he made the initial
breakthrough in the fifth over of the day, dismissing Sanath
Jayasuriya for 45, caught behind by wicketkeeper Adam
Gilchrist, diving to his left.
With their chances of winning all but over, Sri Lanka's
hopes of at least salvaging a draw disappeared just three overs
later when Mitchell Johnson captured two wickets in successive
balls.
Chamara Silva was caught by Ponting at second slip without
scoring then wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene departed for a
golden duck when he was trapped leg before wicket without
offering a shot.
Sri Lanka helped contribute to their own downfall when
Dilhara Fernando was run out for two, attempting a suicidal
third run, before Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga staged a late
fightback to ensure the tourists at least made it to lunch.
The pair put on 74 runs for the ninth wicket before
Sangakkara was unlucky to be given out eight runs short of a
deserved double-century, caught by Ponting off a bouncer from
Stuart Clark even though television replays showed the ball
ricocheted off the batsmen's shoulder.
"I think we all reacted on the two noises we heard at the
time," Ponting said.
"I obviously caught the catch and appealed and went up for
it and he was given out but he played beautifully today.
"I thought the way he struck the ball from about 120
onwards was some of the best hitting that you'll probably ever
see with his back to the wall and running out of partners."
(Editing by John O'Brien)