Symonds, a controversial selection when Australia’s World Cup squad was first announced, but a match-winner in their first game against Pakistan, made the most of a missed stumping chance when on 33 to score an unbeaten 91 from 118 balls as Australia scored 212 for seven in 50 overs.

It was the third time in this World Cup that Australia’s top order had struggled on the slow, spin friendly surface at St George’s Park. However, although Sri Lanka will have been delighted with their performance in thr field, the target will not be easy to overhaul and the game remains intriguingly poised.

Chaminda Vaas, who had taken two wickets during an impressive first spell, was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with three for 34. The left-armer, who has now taken 23 wickets in the tournament, a World Cup record, was also well supported by Aravinda de Silva (two for 36), Sanath Jayasuriya (two for 41) and Muttiah Muralitharan (no wicket for 29).

After Australia had slumped to 51 for three, Symonds and left-hander Darren Lehmann had steadied the innings with a 93 run partnership for the fourth wicket. However, run scoring was never easy as Sri Lanka bowled a total of 32 overs of spin and fielded energetically.

Jayasuriya eventually broke through in the 35th over of the innings as Lehmann (36) chopped the ball onto his stumps. The Sri Lankan skipper was then left on a hat-trick as Michael Bevan (0), the hero during Australia’s previous two matches at Port Elizabeth, edged a catch behind to leave Australia 144 for five.

They then slipped further into the mire, to 175 for seven, when Brad Hogg (8) was smartly stumped by Kumar Sangakkara and Ian Harvey (7) nicked an excellent off-cutter from Vaas.

However, Symonds found good support from Andy Bichel (19*), who clobbered the expensive Pulasthi Gunaratne for a six as 16 priceless runs were conceded in the penultimate over. The pair added 37 in 6.1 overs, helping Australia past 200 and to a potentially defendable total.

Adam Gilchrist had provided a rollicking start, as 34 runs were crashed from the opening five overs, but an unprecedented act of sportsmanship and excellent bowling from Chaminda Vaas saw Australia slide to 51 for three.

Mid-way through the innings, after a consolidating 51 run stand from 71 deliveries between Andrew Symonds (27*) and Darren Lehmann (26*), Australia were 103 for three.

Gilchrist looked keen to repeat his Centurion fireworks, when he had thrashed a scorching 99 when the two sides met in the Super Sixes, when he clipped a leg-side six off the third ball of the second over.

However, with Pulasthi Gunaratne having conceded 20 runs from his first two overs, Sanath Jayasuriya quickly turned to the part-time off-breaks of Aravinda de Silva and the wily veteran broke through with his second delivery.

The left-handed Gilchrist bent down to sweep a leg-stump delivery, edged onto his pad and the ball ballooned up into the air. Kumar Sangakkara completed a straightforward catch but Rudi Koertzen did not raise his finger. However, Gilchrist walked - an unusual act of sportsmanship that will no doubt draw praise and incredibility in equal measure.

Chaminda Vaas struck in the next over, Jayasuriya taking a good low catch at mid-off as Ricky Ponting (2) with a slower delivery, to take his tournament tally to 21 wickets and break the previous World Cup record haul set by Geoff Allott and Shane Warne in the 1999 competition.

Vaas, who bowled a seven over opening spell, conceding 24 runs, claimed another wicket too as Matthew Hayden (20) clipped a stinging catch to Hashan Tillakaratne at mid-wicket.

Lehmann and Symonds then played cautiously, allowing de Silva to rattle through eight economical overs before Muttiah Muralitharan was introduced in the 22nd over.

Runs started to flow more easily when Gunaratne returned to the attack, replacing Vaas. The 29-year right-armer, preferred to Dilhara Fernando as Sri Lanka gambled on playing just two seamers, provided some intelligent variations but still proved relatively expensive, conceding 24 runs from five overs.

The 1999 World Cup winners, who have won their last 15 World Cup matches, are overwhelming favourites, having crushed the Sri Lankans by 96 runs in their Super Six match at Centurion.

But skipper Sanath Jayasuriya has remained positive in the run-up to the game believing his enigmatic side will revel under their underdog tag and will enjoy a spin-friendly surface.

Indeed, Ricky Ponting’s side will be hoping that their top order fares better than in their two previous games at the venue against England and New Zealand, both of which would have been lost had it not been for the rearguard batting of Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel.

This pitch, however, promises to be better, being played on another part of the square to the earlier two games. The curator believes that a par total will be about 250. There is a 60% chance of rain later in the day.

Sri Lanka were the last side to beat Australia, at Sydney in the New Year, and also inflicted their only other loss in the their last 24 games when they won their ICC Champions Trophy semi-final last September.

Australia welcomed back Bevan into the side, who had been rested in their last match against Kenya with a sore back, but will be without middle-order batsman Damien Martyn, who has broken a finger.

Martyn’s withdrawal provides an opportunity for both Andrew Symonds, who started the tournament with a match-winning century against Pakistan, and Ian Harvey to play but the loss of Martyn’s class in the middle-order is a potentially significant set-back.

Sri Lanka made one change to the side that defeated Zimbabwe on Saturday, stacking their side with batsmen as Mahela Jayawardene was preferred to Dilhara Fernando.

Australia:

ML Hayden, +AC Gilchrist, *RT Ponting, DS Lehmann, MG Bevan, A Symonds, IJ Harvey, GB Hogg, AJ Bichel, B Lee, GD McGrath.

Sri Lanka:

*ST Jayasuriya, MS Atapattu, DA Gunawardene, HP Tillakaratne, PA de Silva, RP Arnold, +KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene, WPUJC Vaas, M Muralitharan, PW Gunaratne.