9th Match: Australia v Sri Lanka at Brisbane, 15 Jan 2003 CricInfo Live Report

9th Match: Australia v Sri Lanka at Brisbane, 15 Jan 2003
Charlie Austin

Sri Lanka innings: 25 Overs, 50 Overs,
Australia innings: 25 Overs,
Pre-game: Pre-game,

MURALI STRIKES THRICE TO GIVE SRI LANKA HOPE
Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed three quick wickets to give Sri Lanka an outside chance of victory in their in their triangular series match against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

After 25 overs Australia were 103 for four, still needing 109 runs for victory.

Australia appeared to be cruising after a 79 run opening stand between Matthew Hayden and Jimmy Maher but Muralitharan’s early entry into the attack changed the complexion of the match.

Maher was the first to go, brilliantly stumped by Kumar Sangakkara who was forced to move quickly down the leg-side and throw down the stumps on the turn.

Maher, opening in place of the rested Adam Gilchrist, had scored 30 from 59 deliveries, riding his luck against a barrage of short bowling from Dilhara Fernando.

Hayden, though, was the key wicket.

After a slow start the left-hander started to dominate against the quick bowlers.

However, against Muralitharan he was less confident and he eventually top edged a sweep and was well-caught by Fernando at deep backward square.

Hayden had scored 42 from 54 balls, hitting three boundaries.

Damian Martyn departed next, deceived in the air and bowled between bat and pad by Muralitharan.

Aravinda de Silva then gave Sri Lanka real hope by having Australian captain Ricky Ponting stumped by a juggling Sangakkara.

Ponting had looked out of sorts, facing 40 deliveries for his 15 runs.

SLICK AUSTRALIANS RESTRICT SRI LANKA TO 211
Australia produced a professional performance in the field to restrict Sri Lanka to a moderate 211 for nine in their triangular series match on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka never fully recovered from the early loss of three top order wickets, including the run out of inform Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillakaratne, slipping to 35 for 3.

Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene partially repaired the damage with a record 112 run fourth wicket stand against Australia, surpassing the 103 scored by Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga at Colombo in 1996.

However, the Australian bowling was tight and the fielding was sharp, the fielders regularly hitting the stumps directly and diving successfully in the outfield, never allowing the Sri Lanka pair to dominate the bowling.

Nevertheless, on 147 for three in the 34th over, Sri Lanka still looked on course for a competitive total well in excess of 200.

However, the dismissal of Atapattu, who top edged a pull as Glenn McGrath was pulled back into the attack for a second spell, then precipitated a middle order collapse.

Atapattu, who scored a century against the Australians last week, finished the top scorer with 70 from 101 balls including seven fours.

Jayawardene and new batsman Kumar Sangakkara became bogged down as wrist-spinner Brad Hogg grew in confidence and speedster Brett Lee caused problems with his extreme pace.

Only 18 runs were scored in 5.5 overs and the innings had stalled.

Jayawardene was eventually dismissed by a Hogg googly, bowled around his legs as he tried to sweep.

The right-hander had scored a laboured 56 from 90 balls hitting a solitary boundary.

Russel Arnold (3), fresh from two consecutive ducks against Australia and England, also misread a Hogg googly and gloved a simple catch to stand-in keeper Jimmy Maher as he tried to late cut.

Chaminda Vaas (0) was bowled without scoring by rookie Brad Williams.

Sangakkara, fast running out of partners, ensured Sri Lanka passes 200 with an unbeaten 42 from 42 balls that included two valuable boundaries in the last over.

Both new ball bowlers, McGrath and Williams, completed economical spells, claiming one for 30 from their allotted 10 overs.

Hogg, mauled by the Sri Lankans at Sydney last week, finished with two from 38.

SHARP FIELDING HOLDS BACK SRI LANKA AT BRISBANE
Sharp fielding and tight new ball bowling handed Australia an early advantage in their triangular series match against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka were 99 for three after 25 overs having won the toss and batted on a flat Brisbane batting surface.

Inform opener Sanath Jayasuriya (6) missed out when a fine, flat boundary throw from Shane Watson left him millimeters short of crossing the line after coming back for a risky third run.

Hashan Tillakaratne (7) and Marvan Atapattu were then bogged down by tight bowling by Glenn McGrath and Brad Williams.

After ten overs the pressure was building with the score on 25 for one.

Number three Hashan Tillakaratne was also run out pushing for a third run after a slick flick-back from Michael Bevan and an accurate throw from Brad Hogg.

When Aravinda de Silva (0) fended off his first delivery from speedster Brett Lee into the hands of Damian Martyn, Sri Lanka were in deep trouble on 35 for two.

However, Atapattu, who scored a hundred against Australia when the two sides last met at Sydney, led a fight-back with support from Mahela Jayawardene.

The vice-captain reached his 44th ODI fifty in the 25th over from 76 balls having hit five boundaries.

The pair added 64 at nearly a run-a-ball, the run rate increasing as McGrath tired Ricky Ponting was forced to turn to his support bowlers.

Jayawardene had scored 28 from 40 deliveries with one boundary midway through the Sri Lankan innings.

SRI LANKA WIN THE TOSS AND BAT AGAINST AUSTRALIA
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first in the triangular series match against Australia on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka named an unchanged side to the team that defeated England by 31 runs at Sydney on Monday.

Australia made two changes to the side that defeated England by 79 runs at Hobart on Saturday with Jimmy Maher taking over the wicket-keeping duties from the rested Adam Gilchrist and fast bowler Brad Williams replacing the injured Andrew Bichel (shoulder).

Sri Lanka (12 points) will overtake England (14 points) in the triangular points table if they defeat Australia.

Australia:

Ricky Ponting (captain), Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Jimmy Maher, Michael Bevan, Darren Lehmann, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Brad Williams, Glenn McGrath

Sri Lanka:

Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillakaratne, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold, Chaminda Vaas, Charitha Buddika Fernando, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan