Australia
 India
 Sri Lanka

 Series
 Aust v India
 Aust v SL
 India v SL
 One-Day Int'l

 Colombo (RPS)
 Colombo (SSC)
 Galle

Galle, August 22: Australia, playing their first international fixture since winning the World Cup at Lord's two months ago, maintained their reputation by scoring a comfortable 51-run victory over Sri Lanka in the inaugural match of the Aiwa Cup here on Sunday.

Put in to bat, Australia were restricted to 206 runs in 43 overs. The match scheduled for 50 overs was reduced because of a 85 minute rain delay midway through the Australian innings. Chasing a revised target of 212 runs, Sri Lanka were never in the hunt after a poor start and were all out for 160 in the 38th over.

Australian openers Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist gave their team a rousing start by putting on 60 runs in 10.2 overs.  Then Ricky Ponting and Darren Lehmann added 48 runs for the third wicket in 12.2 overs. But the middle order slumped badly against some inspired bowling by new Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya. With his left arm spinners, Jayasuriya ripped through the batting and it was only a valuable unbeaten 44 off 44 balls by Michael Bevan that saw Australia reach their ultimate total. But the honours of the morning were with Jaysuriya who finished with five for 29 off nine overs.

But on a slow wicket on which the ball came off unpredictably, Sri Lanka's task was not going to be easy.  And it was made downright difficult with the quick dismissals of Jayasuriya, Avishka Gunawardene, Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardena with only 41 runs on the board. Three of the wickets fell to Jason Gillespie opening the bowling with Damien Fleming in the absence of regular spearhead Glenn McGrath, nursing a strained thigh muscle. From there on an Australian victory was only a matter of time. And bright but all too brief knocks from Indika de Saram (24), Romesh Kaluwitharana (33), Upul Chandana (30) and Suresh Perera (26) could only delay the inevitable. Jason Gillespie was adjudged man of the match.