Sri Lanka off to a flyer
After winning the toss and batting, Sri Lanka are off to a flying start
thanks to left handed Sanath Jayasuriya
Jayasuriya is 20 not out off 25 balls and Sri Lanka are
no wicket for 28 after five overs with Romesh Kaluwitharana not out
on five.
Australia made a couple of changes for todays game, with South Australians
Darren Lehmann and Bradley Young coming into the eleven.
It's the Jayasuriya show at the SCG
The Sanath Jayasuriya show has just ended at the Sydney Cricket Ground
as the little left hander shows his mastery over the Australian
bowlers
Jayasuriya was caught behind for 65 off just 62 balls after bringing up his half
century in the 11th over off just 50 balls, hitting seven boundaries.
and Sri Lanka are one for 94 after fifteen overs with fellow
opener Romesh Kaluwitharana not out on 24 from 31 balls.
Jayasuriya was particularly harsh on South Australian Greg Blewett
who conceded 23 from his opening spell of two overs.
Australian stand in skipper attempted to stop the rot by coming
on in the twelfth over, but failed to have any real effect on the Sri
Lankan scoring.
Sadly for Australia, spinner Brad Young appeared to severely hurt his
knee as he collided with the concrete gutter at the deep cover fence,
while trying to save a Kaluwitharana cover drive
Sri Lanka's scoring checked
After scoring at a rate of over six runs per over in the opening fifteen
overs the Sri Lankan run rate has been slowed considerably at the half
way mark of the Carlton and United Series One Dayer at the Sydney
Cricket Ground.
Since the fall of Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka have lost Romesh
Kaluwitharana (32) in the 18th over to Shane Warne and Marvyn Atapattu (18)
well caught by Mark Waugh off the bowling of Shane Warne
Sri Lanka are 3 for 134 at the midway point with Hashan Tillekeratne 9 not out
and skipper Arjuna Ranatunga on 2.
Australia's stand in skipper Shane Warne has played a big part in the slowing
of the run rate with figures of 2/28 from seven overs
Sri Lankan middle order batsman Hashan Tillekeratne had a some luck, when
from the last ball of the 18th over, a confident appeal for caught behind
off Warne was turned down. Television replays indicated the Sri Lankan
left hander may have been a little lucky to get the benefit of the doubt
from umpire Terry Prue.
Sri Lanka set for a big score
Sri Lanka's batsmen continue to dominate the Australian attack at the SCG
At the drinks break Sri Lanka are 3/163 after 31 overs, with skipper
Arjuna Ranatunga unbeaten on 15 and Hashan Tillekeratne on 21.
After coming on in the 12th over in an attempt to stem the scoring,
Australian skipper Shane Warne finished with good figures of 2/42 from ten
overs.
In the 31st over, Adam Gilchrist missed a stumping down the leg side off
Michael Bevan when Arjuna Ranatunga was 12.
South Australian spinner Bradley Young is still of the field with what is suspected to
be a serious knee injury.
Ranatunga run out won't stop a big Sri Lankan score
Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga was given run out following a
very close third umpire decision, but Sri Lanka still seem set for a
large score at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The run out occured when Hashan Tillekeratne pushed Damien Martyn to point
where Ricky Ponting scored a direct hit as the batsmen was deemed to be
just short. TV replays suggested that Ranatunga could possibly have been
given the benefit of the doubt. Despite this setback Sri Lanka have now
moved along to 4/203 after 40 overs, with Tillekeratne batting beautifully on
42 and Jayawardene 8 not out. They seem set for a score in excess of 270.
Sri Lanka set Australia over a challenging
score to win at the SCG
Sri Lanka after a flying start, were well restricted by the Australian
bowlers in the middle stages, but still finished with 9/259 from their
fifty overs.
At one stage it looked as if the visitors would obtain a score of around
270, but good bowling in the middle stages kept the Sri Lanka score
to a total of just over five runs per over.
Sri Lankan openers, Sanath Jayasuriya (65) and Romesh Kaluwitharana (32) played
superbly in the opening fifteen overs before Jayasuriya was caught at the
wicket in the 15th over at 1/95 after facing just 62 balls and hitting
nine fours.
The introduction of Shane Warne brought early success with Warne bowling
Kaluwitharana behind his pads and then having Marvyn Atapattu caught at cover
for 18. Warne was also unlucky not to have Hashan Tillekeratne given out
caught behind from the fifth ball he faced, in the 18th over.
Arjuna Ranatunga played very well for 26, before he was given out by the
third umpire, after being deemed short of his ground from a brilliant throw
by Ricky Ponting at point.
In the 48th over, Tillekeratne hit the first boundary for twenty overs
with a pull shot off Fleming and was finally dismissed run out in
the final over, top scoring with 73 off 95 balls.
Warne and Brendan Julian finished with two wickets apiece, with Julian
finishing well after an ordinary opening spell.
The Australians were very slow in bowling their over only completing 47 overs
by the time of the 6pm cut off. It would seem likely that they will have
less than their normal 50 overs to reach their target, as they attempt to
snare their first victory of the tournament.
Australia start well in run chase
Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh have got Australia off to a great start
in its run chase of 260 versus Sri Lanka at the SCG.
After ten overs Australia are 0/65, with Waugh on 17 and Gilchrist on 48 off
just 35 balls, including 6 boundaries and a six. The first two overs of
the innings were maidens, but the Aussies have now accelerated and
are well and truly up with the run rate required.
Muttiah Muralitharan has been introduced to the attack in the tenth over
and immediately Gilchrist took the iniative by off driving him for four off
the fourth ball and smacking him over mid wicket for six over the last ball.
Earlier in the day Bradley Young, injured a leg when sliding into the gutter
near the boundary and will not take any further part in the match
Gilchrist and Waugh dominate proceedings
Australia's opening batsmen Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh have placed Australia
in a very strong position after 20 overs at the SCG. Australia are 0/122
chasing Sri Lanka's 9/259 with Gilchrist on 66 and Waugh on 51. Mark Waugh
has just brought up his half century off 58 balls with 3 boundaries
The Australian are currently scoring at over six runs per over well in
excess of the 5.2 per over the need for victory.
Comparatively Sri Lanka were 2/116 after 20 overs
Big opening stand puts Australia in control
An opening partnership of 151 between Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist has put
Australia in a strong position chasing Sri Lanka's 9/259 at the Sydney
Cricket Ground.
After 30 overs Australia are 1/165 with Gilchrist on 90 on Ricky Ponting
on 7. Waugh fell in the 26th over, caught at deep mid wicket off Muttiah
Muralitharan for a well made 63 off 76 balls.
Gilchrist, after getting off to an explosive start has been content in recent
overs to just push to singles and keep the run rate required below five runs
per over.
For the Sri Lankans Muralitharan has bowled well, but he has not received
that much assistance from the benign Sydney pitch, which is only turning
slowly, unlike the Test pitch a week ago.
A crowd of around 35,000 is present for Sydney's first day night limited
over international for the season.
Australia secure comfortable eight wicket win
Great batting by Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting has
seen Australia cruise to a comfortable eight wicket win over Sri Lanka
at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the third of the Carlton & United Series
matches.
Gilchrist scored his fourth limited over international century, brought up
in just 98 balls, with seven fours and two sixes, the second of which
brought up the century. Waugh played a secondary role to the rampant
Gilchrist but nonetheless still kept a very good strike rate.
After a terrific opening partnership of 151 in 26 overs, Mark Waugh holed
out in the deep for 63 made off just 75 balls.
Gilchrist's terrific hand came to an end in the 40th over, after he had
faced just 118 balls, hitting 10 fours and two huge sixes.
After some tight bowling following the fall of Gilchrist's wicket and with
the threat of rain imminent, Ricky Ponting hoisted Chandana over long on
in the 46th over for the third six of the Australian innings to get
Australia to under 15 needed for victory. Damien Martyn then cashed in
on the leg spinner hitting a boundary over mid wicket and later in the
over Ponting hit another four to the long on fence to take 16 from the over.
A sweep shot for two by Damien Martyn off the first ball of the next over
from Jayasuriya saw the Australians achieve what turned out to be a
comfortable victory with 23 balls to spare.
Earlier in the day Sri Lanka seemed set for a score of near 300 after their
flying start of 95 from 15 overs. But with the fall of Sanath Jayasuriya (65)
in the fifteenth over, the run rate steadied thanks to good bowling, in
particular Shane Warne (2/42 from ten overs) and Brendan Julian (2/42 off 8)
It was only a good innings of 73 off 95 balls from Hashan Tillekeratne that
saw Sri Lanka to a score over 250.
But as it turned out they were around 40 short of a winable total
Man of the Match: AC Gilchrist
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