Preview
Amid the controversy of Arjuna Ranatunga's comments
on Australia's Channel Seven television show "Sportsworld", Sri Lanka
goes into todays clash at the WACA in Perth desparately
seeking a victory to keep the glimmer of hope
that is there chances of making the finals.
Ranatunga has said he doubts whether Muralitharan would ever tour
Australia again, which in his view is sad given the spinner has taken
over 200 wickets and was a hero in his home country.
Sri Lanka today need a better approach from their batting
after the humiliation of being dismissed for just 99 on
Friday night, as they fell to what was their worst loss of the tournament.
Australia, meanwhile are approaching their peak form of the tournament
with the bowling and captaincy of Shane Warne being exceptional.
Mark Waugh has had an run of six consecutive scores over 50 and the
batting of Darren Lehmann in this series shows he is one of the best
one day batsmen going around.
Australia off to a solid start
Australia have got off to a good start in Perth after being inserted
to bat by Sri Lanka.
After five overs the Aussies are 0/26, with adopted hometown boy
Adam Gilchrist on 20 and Mark Waugh on 4.
Again Arjuna Ranatunga has had the luck with the toss and interestingly
he decided to send Australia in preferring to chase what could be a
very good target.
Sri Lanka must win to keep their faint finals chances alive.
Gilchrist and Waugh go as Sri Lanka fight back
After starting brilliantly, Australia have been pegged back by the Sri
Lankan bowlers at the WACA in Perth.
After fifteen overs, Australia are 2/76
with Ricky Ponting in his return match on 6
and Darren Lehmann currently on 7.
Adam Gilchrist went in the tenth over for a brilliant 47 from just
45 balls, with seven fours and in the following over, Mark Waugh attempted
to work a ball on the on side got a leading edge and was well held at
mid off by Marvyn Atapattu for 12.
Much to the relief of the Sri Lankans, they broke Mark Waugh's run of six
consecutive scores over 50.
The pitch is again quite bouncy with Ricky Ponting, when attempting to let
a ball go from Wickremasinghe, nearly receiving his second black eye in the
month with the ball hitting him on the upper body.
Australia set for another big total
After a flying start, then a hiccup, Australia are again on target for a
big total against Sri Lanka in Perth.
After the halfway point of the innings Australia are 3/127
with Ricky Ponting on 34 and Damien Martyn in on 5.
Darren Lehmann went in the 21st over, caught behind by Romesh Kaluwitharana
off Gamini Wickremasinghe for 20, from a ball that really bounced off the
lively Perth pitch.
Lehmann was replaced by local boy Martyn, who received a great ovation from
the capacity crowd.
Muttiah Muralitharan came on in the 22nd over and was no balled by umpire
Terry Prue in his second over and as the bowler turned around quickly
umpire Prue indicated that it WASN'T for throwing.
Home town boy does well at the WACA
A fine innings by Damien Martyn has led the Australian charge for
a big total against Sri Lanka in Perth.
Damien Martyn has been just dismissed for 48 off 56 balls as now
after 40 overs, Australia are 5/206 with Michael Bevan on 28 and
new batsman Shane Lee on 1.
Martyn shared a partnership of 66 in 11 overs with Bevan and hit
just two boundaries in his innings.
Oddly enough no Aussie batsman has made over fifty as Australia are headed
for a score in the vicinity of over 250.
Ricky Ponting in his return game finished with a well made 39 before being
brilliantly run out by substitute fielder Upul Chandana.
Bevan steers Australia to big score
The one day "king" Michael Bevan has steered Australia to 7/274
at the conclusion of its 50 overs against Sri Lanka in Perth
Bevan finished with an unbeaten 72 off just 65 balls with four fours
after Australia were sent into bat by Sri Lanka by Arjuna Ranatunga.
In the final overs Shane Lee chipped in with a valuable 22 and helped
add 61 in nine overs with his fellow New South Welshman.
Gamini Wickremasinghe bowled particularly well to capture three for 48 from
his ten overs, with Chaminda Vass taking two for 51 from his ten and
Muttiah Muralitharan did a good job in the batting mayhem taking one for 46.
Jayasuriya sets Sri Lanka alight
Despite the loss of a wicket the Sri Lankan run chase has begun in fine
fashion against Australia at Perth
After ten overs Sri Lanka are 1/60 with Sanath Jayasuriya on 43 off just
38 balls and Marvyn Atapattu is on 2.
Adam Dale has been on the end of a decent hammering conceding 20 off his
fourth over as Jayasuriya hit three fours and a six from the eighth over
of the innings.
Glenn McGrath on the other hand has been hard to get away conceding just
ten runs from his four overs.
Shane Lee came on in the tenth over and was hammered for two boundaries
as he went for ten runs from the over
The run chase is on!
Chasing is their game and currently Sri Lanka are on target to make a
great fight of their match against Australia on the bouncy Perth wicket.
After twenty overs Sri Lanka have moved to 1/104 with Marvyn Atapattu on 22
and Hashan Tillekeratne on 12.
Sadly for Sri Lanka Sanath Jayasuriya had to retire hurt when on fifty
after being hit on the right wrist in the 13th over by a delivery from
Brendan Julian.
Interestingly, skipper Shane Warne has used the medium pace of Ricky
Ponting in preference to himself at the bowling crease. Given Warne's
less than special record at the WACA, it is still a surprise he hasn't
given himself a run at the crease yet.
Sri Lanka fight the good fight
Despite the retirement from the crease of Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka
are right on the money in their run chase at the WACA in Perth.
After 30 overs Sri Lanka are on 2/150 requiring 125 to win off the final
twenty over to win the match. Hashan Tillekeratne is on 27 and Chaminda
Vass has scored a quick fire 18 off just 12 balls.
Sadly though it seems unlikely that Sanath Jayasuriya will make a return
to the crease following his retirement when on 50 after being hit by
Brendan Julian on the right wrist.
Marvyn Atapattu was the victim of some great Ricky Ponting fielding
as Tillekeratne pushed Warne to mid wicket, refused Atapattu's call for a
single and as he tried to scurry back, Ponting scored a direct hit to
remove Atapattu for 34 in the 27th over.
Vass has swung lustily at the bowling since being elevated to number five
in the batting order, in a "pinch hitting" role.
The Sri Lankans also continue to be very severe on the bowling of Adam
Dale who has conceded 51 from six overs.
Ranatunga goes, Australia now favourites
Sri Lanka's batsmen love to chase in Limited Over Internationals
but they are now fighting an uphill battle against Australia in Perth.
After 40 overs they are 5/201 with Mahela Jayawardena on 25 and Roshan
Mahanama yet to score, requiring 74 off the last ten overs for a
memorable victory.
Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga was the latest victim after he was taking up the
challenge of getting his side
to victory before he edged Ricky Ponting to Adam Gilchrist when on 21
and now Australia must be favoured to get their fifth victory of the
Carlton and United Series.
In the last ten overs, Chaminda Vass has also been dismissed, caught in deep
by Brendan Julian off Shane Warne for a snappy 20 off 16 balls that
made Sri Lanka 3/153 in the 31st over and then
Hashan Tillekeratne was brilliantly caught at mid wicket by Ricky Ponting
off Warne for 30 as Sri Lanka fell to 4/159 in the 33rd.
Sadly for Sri Lanka it appears unlikely that Sanath Jayasuriya will resume
his innings, after retiring hurt in the 13th over after making 50 off
just 48 deliveries.
Australia through to the finals
Australia have clinched a spot in the Carlton and United finals series
with a solid 45 run victory over Sri Lanka in Perth.
Needing 5.5 runs per over for victory Sri Lanka fell for 229 in the
47th over and thus ended their chances of making the finals series which
commences in ten days time.
Shane Warne troubled the middle and lower order, bowling ten overs into
a stiff Perth breeze to take 3/53 from ten overs and Glenn McGrath caused
all batsmen problems finishing with 2/19 from 8.3 overs.
Man of the Match Ricky Ponting made a great return making 39 off 57 balls
before being run out, he took a great catch to account for
Hashan Tillekeratne (30), ran out Marvyn Atapattu (34) with a direct hit and
bowled an excellent spell of 1/41 from ten overs.
Australia's batsmen set the game up with a great beginning by
Adam Gilchrist who smashed 47 from just 45 balls before being bowled
by Chaminda in only the tenth over.
Home town favourite Damien Martyn later took up the slack with a well
made 48 from 56 balls
and Michael Bevan as he so often does finished unbeaten after a fine
knock of 72 from 65 balls.
Gamini Wickremasinghe, who was brought into the match at the expense
of Upul Chandana, took the bowling honours on the bouncy WACA pitch with
three for 48 from his ten overs.
In the run chase, Romesh Kaluwitharana went early for 13 and then fellow
opener Sanath Jayasuriya took on the Australian bowlers on hitting Adam
Dale for three fours and a six in the eighth over of the innings.
However in the 13th over Jayasuriya was struck on the right wrist from
a sharp ball by Brendan Julian and was forced to retire hurt just
as he had brought up a sensational fifty.
Sadly for Jayasuriya, the blow he received on his right wrist has
resulted in a fracture and he will miss Sri Lanka's two remaining games
of the Carlton and United Series.
Sri Lanka managed to keep up with the rate required, and looked a chance to cause
an upset victory until the skipper Arjuna Ranatunga went to the medium pace
of Ponting in the 40th over for 14. That made Sri Lanka 5/201 which
was effectively six for 201 with Jayasuriya at the hospital.
Man of the Match: RT Ponting. Attendance: 22,004.
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