Sri Lanka overwhelm Australia by eight wickets in Sydney to gain bonus point in CB Series
Sri Lanka overwhelm Australia by eight wickets in Sydney to gain bonus point in CB Series
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Quicksilver: Sri Lanka's Thisara Perera fields during yesterday's ODI
against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Pics/Getty Images
It was Sri Lanka's largest ODI win over Australia in terms of balls remaining. The Sri Lankans, who were winless before yesterday's game after being held to a tie in their previous match by leaders India, moved to within three points of the Indians after four games in the tournament. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene steered his side to victory with an unbeaten knock of 61 off 67 balls with opener Tillakaratne Dilshan hitting 45 off 41.
Mine!u00a0Sri Lanka's Farveez Maharoof catches Australia skipper Ricky
Ponting off his own bowling at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday.
"The intent was good, the aggression, the tempo... it was a good, clinical finish," Jayawardene said. "The bonus point was brilliant, we just wanted a win, but now we're definitely back in it. The bonus point was the icing on the cake."
Kumar Sangakkara reached 10,000 career ODI runs in his innings of 30 off 29 balls. Thisara Perera was judged man-of-the-match in a wide open vote having taken two for 29 and also effected two run outs in Australia's innings.
It was Australia's fifth-biggest loss in one-day cricket in terms of balls (101) remaining. Sri Lanka set up their emphatic victory by dismissing Australia for 158 off 40.5 overs in the match, which was reduced to 41 overs-a-side by afternoon rain. It was Australia's lowest ODI total at the SCG since 1997 and fourth-lowest in all ODIs in Sydney. David Hussey rescued Australia from an even lower score after the home side had tottered at 88 for six before a two-hour rain delay. He hit 58 off 64 balls for his third half-century of the tourney after being dropped twice.
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