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Hobart: Seamers Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc shared six late wickets to give Australia a dramatic 137-run victory over Sri Lanka in the last hour of the fifth and final day of the first Test on Tuesday.
Siddle, who finished the match with figures of 9-104, and left-armer Starc, who took 5-63 in the second innings, caught fire in the final session to bowl the tourists out for 255 and give Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
Having been stymied in similar circumstances by a brilliant rearguard action from South Africa in Adelaide last month, Australia were desperate not to repeat the experience in Hobart.
It looked like it might be a case of deja vu at tea, however, when some resilient batting from the Sri Lankans and a couple of rain breaks frustrated the hosts for two sessions.
Siddle had already taken the key wickets of captain Mahela Jayawardene (19) and ICC Cricketer of the Year Kumar Sangakkara (63) around lunch but the tourists reached tea on 186 with six wickets still in hand.
In a sign of Australia's growing desperation, wicketkeeper Matthew Wade shed his pads and gloves to bowl the final over before the break and claimed a maiden in his first spell in senior cricket.
The Australian bowling unit, a man down after local quick Ben Hilfenhaus suffered a side strain, never gave up, even if Siddle looked like the only man who might break through for much of the day.
The 28-year-old struck again on the first ball of his second over after tea to dismiss obdurate all-rounder Angelo Mathews, caught behind by Wade for 19.
With the rain staying away, Siddle then removed the last of the Sri Lankan top order with a sizzling delivery which trapped Thilan Samaraweera lbw, one run short of the batsman's half century.
Samaraweera almost reluctantly appealed to the television umpire but it was a wasted appeal and removed another weapon from the tourist's armoury as they sought to bat out the day.
With Sri Lanka reduced to 218-6, Siddle took a rest but left-arm quick Starc picked up the baton and had soon removed Prasanna Jayawardene for 21.
Brief scores
Australia 5 for 450 dec (Hussey 115*, Hughes 87, Clarke 74, Wade 68*, Warner 57) and 278 (Warner 68, Herath 5-96)
Sri Lanka 336 (Dilshan 147, Mathews 75, Siddle 5-54) and 255 (Sangakkara 63, Samaraweera 49, Starc 5-63, Siddle 4-50)
Result Australia won by 137 runs
MOM Peter Siddle (Australia)
