Australia's third Test report card

Report ... Australia capture a Test series clean sweep over Sri Lanka. Source: Phil Hillyard / News Limited

The SCG Test had added emotion to it this year with the passing of Tony Greig, the retirement of Michael Hussey and the annual Jane McGrath Day.

Australia were made to work hard but ultimately pulled out a five-wicket win against a much-improved Sri Lanka.

We rate the performances of the team but did we get it right? Have your say and leave a comment below.

3rd Test - Sydney Cricket Ground

3 January 2013 - Day 4, Session 3

Australia 2nd Innings

M. Hussey	27	42	2	0	64.29
M. Johnson	1	7	0	0	14.29
R. Herath	16.5	0	47	3	2.79

Ed Cowan
Rating: 5/10
A horrific run out in the first innings and a gritty 36 on day four to ensure Australia went a long way to chasing 141. We all know Cowan's role is to be the rock to David Warner's roll but consistency is still an issue. His battle with spin showed he can handle it but a tour to India will be a much tougher test.

David Warner
Rating: 7.5/10
They say you're only as good as your last innings and Warner produced a golden duck when Australia needed him to provide a good start. However, his performance in the first innings and his brilliant fielding overshadow that failure. He created the run out of Angelo Mathews in the second innings out of nothing and generally gave the Sri Lankans nightmares.

Phil Hughes
Rating: 7.5/10
Two excellent innings' without ever going on with it. The Sydney Test might just be Hughes's turning point as a test cricketer. There's no reason why he can't make No.3 his own in the same way as David Boon. The 87 in the first innings was almost chanceless - until he got out - and full of attack. In contrast, the second innings showed he could knuckle down when needed and grind out the runs against one of the world's best spinners in Rangana Herath.

Michael Clarke
Rating: 6/10
We don't like giving the captain a poor mark but after 2012 and the summer he's had so far, Sydney was a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps that hamstring was bothering him more than he let on but he was never going to rest during the SCG Test. He got out to a rash shot in the first innings when he'd just reached a half century, and he also ran out Michael Hussey. Finally, his captaincy on day four when chasing the final few wickets was too defensive and poor.

Michael Hussey
Rating: 7.5/10
Everything the retiring great did was first class. Unfortunately, he was run out in the first innings but it wasn't his fault. He took three catches in the field and produced a great catch to get rid of Thilan Samaraweera on day three. The cheer he got when bowling the final over of the day was one of the highlights of the entire Test. On day four Australia were in trouble and it was Hussey who guided the team home. A brilliant career.

Matthew Wade
Rating: 8/10 (Bat), 3/10 (Wk)
To give Wade an overall rating would be too difficult. As a batsman he was superb but with the wicketkeeping gloves on he was, at times, diabolical. He is still learning his craft at Test level and should be perservered with but a dropped catch and a botched run out add to some embarassing gaffs this summer. As a batsman, Wade was unstoppable and went to another level when No.11 Jackson Bird came to the crease. He was on 70 at the time and he simply monstered the Sri Lanka attack to reach his century.

Mitchell Johnson
Rating: 6/10
It's pretty clear the experiment with Johnson as the all-rounder didn't work on this occasion. To be honest, he didn't perform that well with bat or ball. He couldn't buy a wicket in the first innings but picked up three in Sri Lanka's second dig - including Dilshan and Thirimanne. He managed 13 runs in the first innings before nicking one off Pradeep and he stuck around with Hussey in the second innings to help guide Australia home. He's been given a third chance by the selectors and seems ready to grasp it this time ... but only as a bowler.

Peter Siddle
Rating: 7/10
The big Victorian continues to be the heart of the Australian attack but when the likes of Bird and Starc are firing he is outshone. However, it is when they can't find the breakthrough that Siddle steps up. He picked up Mahela Jayawardene when Sri Lanka looked like taking the game away from Australia on day three. His work-rate in India will be vital. He also provided 38 high-quality runs in the first innings.

Mitchell Starc
Rating: 7/10
A contrasting Test for Starc. After a good first innings with the ball, where he picked up the big wickets of Jayawardene and Mathews, he struggled in the second innings. Consistency is going to be a catch phrase for Starc moving forward but he is clearly a favourite of the selectors and will be given a chance to further push his case for an Ashes berth in the limited overs series against Sri Lanka and West Indies.

Nathan Lyon
Rating: 6.5/10
Nathan Lyon has got to be Australia's unluckiest bowler this summer. He only took two wickets - one of which was Thirimanne - in Sydney but it could have been far better as a couple of catches went down off his bowling. In saying that, he does need to slow down at times as the batsman were easily anticipating his speed and lack of flight. Lyon is still young and statistically one of Australia's best spinners at his age. It will be interesting to see how he fares in India.

Jackson Bird
Rating: 8.5/10
A man-of-the-match effort in just his second Test. Bird has been compared to Australian legend Glenn McGrath and he delivered at the SCG. The lanky quick picked up both openers in the first innings and then returned to clean up the tail. In the second innings, he again dismissed Karunaratne before cleaning up the tail and finishing with seven wickets for the match. If he is given the opportunity and can show this type of consistency in the long-term he will be one of the world's best.

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