Johnson, the scene-stealer
Mitchell Johnson is enjoying his time as Australia's stand-in Test bowler, sans the pressures of being their pace spearhead
25/12Result
2nd Test, Sri Lanka tour of Australia at Melbourne, Dec 26-28 2012
-
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
156 & 103 (24.2 ov) -
![Australia]( "Australia")
Player of the Match
25/12Result
2nd Test, Sri Lanka tour of Australia at Melbourne, Dec 26-28 2012
-
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
156 & 103 (24.2 ov) -
![Australia]( "Australia")
Player of the Match
Day 3
SL Tests offer Australia clues to tackling future challenges
So far this series has taught Australia several lessons - some useful, some less relevant - which they will do well to remember when the challenges of the India tour and the Ashes roll around
Sri Lanka flee from credibility
Third-heaviest defeat born out of a performance that resembled a collapsing circus tent
Edgy Mathews escapes Bird trap
Plays of the Day from the third day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Melbourne
Hand injury puts Sangakkara out of Australia tour
Sri Lanka will be without batsman Kumar Sangakkara for the remainder of their tour of Australia, after scans revealed a fracture to his left hand
Dropped catches cost us - Jayawardene
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said the two dropped catches in the third session on day one were crucial and might have changed the complexion of the Melbourne Test
New lows for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's second innings lasted only 24.2 overs, which is their shortest in Test history. Here are more stats highlights from the match
Day 2
Sri Lanka thrown to the lions
Australia completed a fearful mauling of Sri Lanka in the Boxing Day Test, winning by an innings and 201 runs
Clarke, Watson, Johnson streak hosts ahead
Australia's batsmen played a handful of poor strokes, but they were far less frequent and consequently less terminal than those offered up by Sri Lanka's on day one
Herath rages against inept display
Perhaps the perfect role model for Sri Lanka, Rangana Herath suffered a grave injustice by going wicketless on day two despite a performance that could have brought his side back into the match
Welegedara suffers hamstring tear
Chanaka Welegedara will not bowl again in the Boxing Day Test and is unlikely to recover in time for the third Test, after initial scans revealed a tear in his right hamstring
Watson in doubt for Sydney Test
Shane Watson is in doubt for the Sydney Test after suffering yet another injury while bowling.
Clarke and Watson, what have you done?
Michael Clarke and Shane Watson have had vastly different years but Australia's captain and vice-captain must both stand up in 2013
Herath's stunner, and an unlikely MCG favourite
Plays of the Day from the second day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Melbourne
Day 1
Johnson and friends make it Australia's day
Kumar Sangakkara became the second Sri Lankan to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Tests but there was little else for Sri Lanka to celebrate on their first Boxing Day at the MCG since 1995
Sri Lanka batsmen defeated by indiscipline
The MCG pitch was quick and Australia's attack assured, but neither were the menace Sri Lanka's batsmen made them out to be
Damned if they rest, damned if they don't
Can sports science be relied upon to foresee an injury? Who knows. But at the rate Australia's fast bowlers have fallen in recent times, something had to be tried
Johnson gains from Starc example
Keeping it full with the new ball and banging it in with the old one produced the results for Johnson on Boxing Day
Dilshan's brain fade, and superman Wade
Plays of the Day from the first day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Melbourne
Prasanna Jayawardene injures thumb
Prasanna Jayawardene will go to hospital for X-rays after he was hit on the thumb by a Mitchell Johnson bouncer during Sri Lanka's first innings at the MCG
Others
Sri Lanka's finest in away Tests
Kumar Sangakkara, who became the 11th player to reach the 10000-run mark in Tests, has been the most prolific Sri Lankan batsmen in overseas matches
Worst Test I've been involved in - Ford
Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford admits he was surprised by the lack of fight his team showed in Melbourne and that it felt worse than any game he has ever been involved in
Confident of Watson's leadership - Clarke
Australia captain Michael Clarke remained hopeful of his participation in the Boxing Day Test despite a hamstring injury, but was confident of his team's prospects under Shane Watson's leadership if he wasn't fit to play
Is rotation the future? Time will tell
The sports scientists now seem to be driving selection every bit as much as the selectors
SLC issue 'not a distraction' - Jayawardene
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has defended his decision to send a letter to the press, with comments on SLC, but said that the fallout from the incident was not a distraction for his side ahead of the Boxing Day Test
No driving, no trash-talking, no Mahela
Gideon Haigh gives us a morbid history of men who performed on Boxing Day. Control Freakiness stops the trash-talking Big Bash
Showpiece for hosts, last chance for tourists
ESPNcricinfo's preview of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Melbourne