Cricket-Starc takes four to put Australia on brink of victory

Fast bowler Mitchell Starc struck early blows as Australia closed in on victory in the second test against Sri Lanka and a 2-0 series win at Manuka Oval on Monday.

Chasing an improbable 516 for victory, the touring side reached 87 for five at lunch on the fourth day against Australia, who won the opening test in Brisbane by an innings and 40 runs. Kusal Mendis was unbeaten on 13 with Dhananjaya de Silva one not out for the visitors, who had resumed the fourth day on 17 without loss.

The series win against Sri Lanka will be the first for Australia since they thrashed England 4-0 in the Ashes early last year. Left-arm quick Starc bowled with the same aggression and pace that earned him a five-wicket haul in the first innings and added the wickets of opener Dimuth Karunaratne and Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal to his tally.

The paceman got a fast delivery to cut back into Karunaratne, who failed to add to his overnight score of eight, to breach his defence and clip the leg bail. Chandimal was out for four when he guided Starc straight into the hands of Marnus Labuschagne at slip which ended a dismal tour for the right-hander, who aggregated 24 runs from four innings.

Sri Lanka promoted Niroshan Dickwella, who had made an attacking 64 in Brisbane, and he and opener Lahiru Thirimanne added 30 for the third wicket. A sharply climbing delivery from Pat Cummins ended Thirimanne's knock of 30 when the fast bowler sprinted forward to take a diving return catch inches off the ground.

Starc returned for his second spell to dismiss Dickwella (27) and Kusal Perera, who was cleared to bat on Monday after being hit on the helmet by a bouncer on the third morning, in successive deliveries to take his match haul to nine. De Silva kept out the hat-trick delivery. (Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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