SRI LANKA TRIUMPHS OVER AUSTRALIA

Sri Lanka wins and plays Australia again in the best of three finals in CB ‘Tri’ series against Australia
In the ‘Tri’ series CB series crucial match against Australia Sri Lanka emerged winners by just 10 runs with just 5 balls to spare. Australia chasing a gettable 239 runs were all out when David Hussey’s lone effort ended when he lofted Kulasekara in the first ball in the 50th over to be caught by the waiting hands of Dilshan at deep mid off. Hussey made 74 runs that almost brought Australia to a famous victory.
THE FULL SCORE BOARD IS APPENDED BELOW:


At 4.12 p.m Sri Lankan time
Australia in 43 overs was 187 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. At this stage Sri Lanka were cruising towards victory.
At 3.45 p.m
Australia was 162 for the loss of 6 wickets in 36 overs.The turning point was when the acting skipper Shane Watson was clean bowled off a Yorker by Malinga uprooting his middle stump a scene any batsman would like to see. He made a useful 65 runs in 83 balls with 5 fours. Even at this stage the game was anybody’s.
At 2.56 p.m.
Australia was 118 for the loss of 4 wickets in 26 overs.

LAHIRU THIRIMANNE’s FIRST ODI WICKET WAS THAT OF ‘MR. CRICKET’ OF AUSTRALIAN CRICKET MIKE HUSSEY:

When regular bowlers Mathews and Tissara Perera were injured Mahela gambled with Thirimanne also a medium pace right arm bowler. The gamble paid off immediately when he had dangerous Mike Hussey was caught behind by Sangakkara for a cautious 29 runs made in 56 balls. This wicket was vital for Sri Lanka and at this stage Sri Lanka was further on course for the crucial win.
At 2.10 p.m.
Australia was 53 for 3 wickets in 15 overs at a run rate of only 3.57 runs per over.
At 1.51 p.m.
Australia was 41 for 3 wickets in 10 overs were batting cautiously to make a comeback with acting skipper Shane Watson and Mike Hussey trying to consolidate. It was the unplayable Malinga who was responsible for the early breakthrough claiming the wickets of dangerous David Warner and the first centurion in the CB series Forest. Kulasekara accounted for Wade caught behind by Sangakkara.
12.46 p.m.

CHRISTIAN’S HAT- TRICK
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat on a placid pitch. Lost Skipper Mahela early ruled run out trying to steal a single and then Dilshan for just 9 runs .At this moment Sri Lanka were 19 for 2 wickets in just 9 overs.Sangakkara was joined by young promising Dinesh Chandimal.Thae pair not only added 123 runs for the 3rd wicket in 24 overs but also accelerated the scoring rate and brought respectability to the total. Sangakkara was first to depart having scored 64 runs in a 93 ball inning having reached the fence 3 times. Young Chandimal was the more aggressors and his contribution when he got out was 75 runs made in 83 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes and was later named ‘Player of the Match’ above the feat achieved by Malinga.
The lower middle order batsman failed to score while Lahiru Thirimanne was holding stoutly the other end and scoring briskly as well. Christian the Aussie new paceman accounted for the wickets of Mathews,Senanayake and Kulasekara to complete a hat-trick the first in this ‘tri’series, in the 44th over. With the assistance of the tail enders Thrimanne reached his own half a century made in 59 balls with 2 fours. Malinga was clean bowled by Christian in the last ball in the 50th over to hive him a 5 wicket haul. Sri lanka folded for 239 runs although if not for the failure of the lower middle order they would have reached a much more respectable score which would have been much more challenging.