Australia beat Sri Lanka by 9 wickets to sweep series

Australia beat Sri Lanka by nine wickets inside four days of the second Test to complete a 2-0 series sweep in Galle on Sunday.

Replying to Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 257, Australia made 414 riding hundreds by skipper Steve Smith and Alex Carey to take charge of the contest.

Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for 231 in the hosts’ second innings and then chased down the target of 75 losing the lone wicket of opener Travis Head.

Head struggled against Nishan Peiris early in his knock and eventually fell caught behind trying to play a cut shot off Prabath Jayasuriya.

Usman Khawaja (27) and Marnus Labuschagne (26) guided Australia to victory with Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who bowed out after playing his 100th Test, bowling the last over.

Australia’s spin duo of Matthew Kuhnemann (16) and Nathan Lyon (14) claimed a combined 30 of the 40 Sri Lankan wickets in the series.

Australia on brink of Sri Lanka Test series sweep

Smith, leading in absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, became the first Australian, fifth overall, to take 200 outfield catches.

Australia have already secured their place in the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June.