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Former Australian captain Michael Clarke warns that if Sri Lanka bowled the correct length, Australia might have been "in even more trouble" despite a much-needed win on Tuesday.

Marcus Stoinis was the reigning champions' hero in Perth, with his 59-run unbeaten stand guiding the Australians to a seven-wicket win. The hosts won comfortably, having reached Sri Lanka's target of 157 with 21 balls remaining.

While an important victory in the context of the tournament, Clarke admitted Australia will have to be much better to compete with England on Friday.

Aaron Finch’s spot in the team will continue to come under the microscope after another underwhelming display, with the skipper scoring 31 runs from 42 balls. And Clarke warned Finch was fortunate to have even lasted that long.

“I thought if the Sri Lankans can get this ball in the right area while it’s new, we could be under the pump and we were,” he said on Sky Sports Radio’s ‘The Big Sports Breakfast’.

“But even still, if that’s England’s bowling attack, if that’s India and Pakistan’s bowling attack that I watched the other night, if that’s South Africa’s bowling attack, Finchy is not lasting 10 seconds because he played and missed and balls went over the stumps,”

“Sri Lanka bowled too short. With 160 on the board, if Sri Lanka get their length right and even though we were under the pump without Marcus Stoinis’ amazing innings, I think we could have been in even more trouble” he added.

Clarke argued Smith should be recalled prior to Tuesday’s game against Sri Lanka, pointing to the calming influence Virat Kohli had on India in their thrilling win over Pakistan.

“Virat Kohli the other night was a good example of what class does,” Clarke told Channel Nine.