Sri Lanka team manager Chandra Schaffter put up a bold front when he was asked to comment on the third umpire decision concerning the stumping of tailend batsman Suresh Perera in Thursday's Aiwa Cup night match against Australia played at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

``The umpire was the best judge of the situation. He was in a better position to decide than anyone of us. After all who knows he may have made the right decision,'' said Schaffter.

``The umpire will have to be mentally unfit if he had made the wrong decision. But I am sure he had his reasons for ruling the batsman out,'' he said.

``Even if Perera was given the benefit of the doubt, there was no guarantee that we could have won the match,'' said Schaffter.

Perera was given out stumped by third umpire Peter Manuel - a decision which caused controversy when TV replays showed the batsman had creased his bat before wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist whipped the bails off.

Sri Lanka at that stage required 28 runs for victory off 19 balls with two wickets in hand and the match could have gone either way as Australia had exhausted their front-line bowlers.

This was the second controversial decision concerning a third umpire. In the opening match of the competition at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday, D.N. Pathirana gave Australian opener Adam Gilchrist run out for 27 under controversial circumstances. Pathirana was later suspended from one match for speaking to the press thus, violating the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Code of Conduct No. 8.

A match which seemed to be going Australia's way, was virtually turned around by 19-year-old debutant Chamara Silva, who scored a plucky half-century off 84 balls (5 fours) to give Australia a fright. The manner in which Silva, a former student of Royal College, Panadura played the best bowlers in Australia's line-up - Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, put the top order batsmen to shame.

Had they made some kind of contribution, Australia's total of 241 would have been knocked off. At 87 for 5 the game looked as good as over, but the last five wickets raised the score to a respectable 214 with Upul Chandana contributing a rapid 35 off 31 balls before being the last wicket to fall.

The problem with the top order were twofold in Thursday's game. Sri Lanka not only came up against strong opposition but they were also not mentally strong to cope with it.

As coach Dav Whatmore said: ``It's all in the head. Ninety percent of the game is mental, only 10 percent is physical''.

As long as India do not upset Australia in today's game at the SSC, Sri Lanka have a very good chance of qualifying for the final on Tuesday. India play Sri Lanka in their final qualifying round game tomorrow also at the SSC. Australia are already through to the final having won all three matches played.

``The problems we have is that all departments are not clicking together. When we do well in one department the other fails. We'll have to play well to win and we are quite optimistic,'' said Indian coach Anshuman Gaekwad.

Lanky left-arm fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa, who was rested for the match against Australia on Thursday is expected to return to the side for Sunday's game against India. The player who may probably be left out is Suresh Perera, who did not bowl well in the last two games, conceding 63 runs off nine overs without taking a wicket.

Chaminda Vaas will be lucky to hold his place in the side despite figures of one for 139 off 23 overs.

Aiwa Cup Tri-Nation One-day standings

               P       W       L       NR     Pts       NRR

Australia       3       3       0       0       6       +0.92
Sri Lanka       3       1       2       0       2       -0.41
India           2       0       2       0       0       -0.75

Highest individual score: 84 - Mark Waugh, Australia v Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium.

Fastest fifty: 47 balls - Andrew Symonds, Australia v India at Galle Stadium.

Best bowling: 5/28 - Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka v Australia at Galle Stadium.

Highest innings total: 241/9 (50) - Australia v Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium.

Lowest innings total: 160 (43) - Sri Lanka v Australia at Galle Stadium.

Results so far: Australia bt Sri Lanka by 51 runs, Australia bt India by 8 wkts, Sri Lanka bt India by 7 wkts, Australia bt Sri Lanka by 27 runs.

Matches to play: Aug 28: Australia v India at SSC, Aug 29: Sri Lanka v India at SSC, Aug 31: Final at R. Premadasa Stadium (d/n).