Australia's inability to cope with quality swing and seam bowling was sadly exposed by Nuwan Kulasekara (5-22) and Lasith Malinga (3-14) who reduced them to 9-40 in the 19th over.
In scenes reminiscent of the carnage in Cape Town 15 months ago when Australia's test team were bowled out for 47 by South Africa, the batsmen seemed incapable of countering the hooping swing.
Sri Lanka (6-75) also had their problems with the sideways movement, crashing to 4-37 as Mitchell Johnson dismantled their top order with 3-4 from his first eight deliveries.
But Johnson was inexplicably taken off after the tea break.
The Australians were also left to rue three missed catches in the field, as well as a run out which went begging, to top off a forgettable display.
Clark described it as a "horrible day" but would not blame the Gabba wicket or the team's controversial resting/rotation policy.
"Our batting performance was very poor," he told the Nine Network. "If we bat like that in any conditions we're not going to make any runs.
"I think our defence more than anything else was poor today."
It was only the determined efforts of Starc (22 not out) and Doherty (15) that saved Australia from more embarrassment.
When Doherty leg-glanced his first ball to the boundary, Australia passed the lowest total by a recognised test nation - 43 in South Africa by Pakistan (1993) and Sri Lanka (2012).
It had looked to be a superb Brisbane one-day pitch and Clarke had no hesitation in batting first.
- AAP
