In a history-making performance of which they can be justifiably proud, Sri Lanka's cricketers have recorded a magnificent six wicket win over Australia on the third day of a swiftly completed First Test at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy today.  After two and a half days during which they generally outclassed a side which looked a pale imitation of the outfit that is supposedly the world's premier Test cricketing force, the victory came late in the post-lunch session when a Ricky Ponting overthrow handed the Sri Lankans their ninety-fifth second innings run.

Although they were resisted for a considerable period by some determined batting from joint man of the match Ponting (51), Colin Miller (8) and Glenn McGrath (10*) - those three adding 65 runs to take their team's second innings tally to 140 - and then by a tremendous bowling effort from the underrated Miller (3/48), the home team's win never really looked in doubt today.  Indeed, so strongly had the locals paved the way for this achievement with their play over the first two days that this was never likely to be anything other than a day for jubilant celebration for Sri Lankan fans as their team registered its first-ever win after ten unsuccessful attempts against this particular foe.

Needing just those 95 runs for victory, the Sri Lankans did start nervously - losing Marvan Atapattu (0), Sanath Jayasuriya (18), Romesh Kaluwitharana (5) and Mahela Jayawardene (9) to appalling shots in the process -  but, in a superb twist of fate that the home fans could not have scripted any better, recalled veterans Aravinda de Silva (adding 31* to his sparkling first innings 78 to join Ponting as a man of the match winner) and Arjuna Ranatunga (19*) then delivered the knockout blow with the same cool assurance that marked their celebrated World Cup clinching partnership in 1996.

Stern defiance in the face of the inevitable was offered by Ponting's magnificent double with the bat (96 in the first innings going with today's 51), by a five wicket haul from acting captain Shane Warne (5/52) in the Sri Lankan first innings, and by Miller's work with the ball (4/62 and 3/48) in each of the home team's innings, but Australia generally appeared destined to lose this match right from the time that it forfeited seven wickets in a staggering opening session of the match.  Indeed, there will be many who will argue that a sickening on-field collision early on the second day of the match between captain Steve Waugh and paceman Jason Gillespie (from which neither was able to sufficiently recover to take any further part in the match) was a metaphor for the parlous nature of their fate from that stage of proceedings.

It is true that the conditions for batting in this match were not easy, but there can be few genuine excuses for the fact that this was, above all, a game which featured some mediocre placement, timing and shot selection throughout.  For all of the considerable swing available to the Sri Lankans on the decisive first morning, and for all of the appreciable turn the surface afforded spin bowlers through the remainder of the contest, poor strokemaking and impatience were regrettably the pre-eminent hallmarks of the play in this Test.  With the notable exception of Ponting, the Australian upper and middle order was especially disappointing - their first innings effort was nothing short of pitiful and the display in the second was little better.  Thankfully, though, the most enduring memory of this Test will be that of the import of the home team's sterling maiden win against Australia.  Happily too, it will be remembered for the wonderful bowling of left arm paceman Chaminda Vaas (3/43 and 3/15) and the redoubtable off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (4/63 and 3/65), and also for the majestic batting genius of the ruthlessly determined de Silva.