Mitchell Johnson has capped his recall to the Test side with a four-wicket haul including his 200th victim as Australia skittled Sri Lanka for 156 before tea on day one of the second Test.
Left-armer Johnson, who claimed six wickets in his comeback Test against South Africa in Perth last month then was overlooked for last week’s first Test in Hobart, claimed 4-63 from 14 overs and bowled with tremendous pace up around the 145km/h mark on Wednesday.
Kumar Sangakkara top-scored with 58 and, in doing so, became the 11th player in Test history to reach the milestone of 10,000 runs.
Sri Lanka won the toss and Aussie debutant Jackson Bird (2-32) struck in his second over when Dimuth Karunaratne was caught behind for five.
Johnson removed the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan for 11 after pushing an inswinger through bat and pad as the Sri Lankan aimed an ambitious slog over mid-on.
Peter Siddle (2-30) achieved a massive breakthrough as skipper Mahela Jayawardene was caught behind for three at 3-37.
Bird’s alarming bounce caught Thilan Samaraweera (10) by surprise in the first over after lunch as the right-hander top-edged a pull-shot to mid-wicket at 4-79.
The loose strokeplay of Dilshan and Samaraweera was repeated by vice-captain Angelo Mathews (15) whose off-drive landed in the hands of Mike Hussey at second slip off the bowling of Siddle at 5-99.
Prasanna Jayawardene (24) edged a short ball to third slip off Johnson and Dhammika Prasad was beaten for pace next ball and caught behind for a duck as Johnson found himself on a hat-trick.
Johnson’s 200th wicket came when wicketkeeper Matthew Wade ran towards fine leg and held a superb diving catch after Sangakkara top-edged a pull shot 13 runs later with the total on 8-147.
The paceman became the 14th Australian bowler to reach the 200 mark.
Spinner Nathan Lyon (2-23) removed tailenders Rangana Herath (14) and Chanaka Welegedara (0) cheaply.
Australia named skipper Michael Clarke to play despite suffering a hamstring injury in last week’s first Test in Hobart.
