Lankans in finals with a splendid win

Beat Aussies by 9 runs, Chandimal the Player:

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting from Australia

The Sri Lankans led competently by Mahela Jayawardena fought back gallantly to beat Australia by 9 runs and book a best of three finals berth also against Australia in the Commonwealth Bank Tri series beginning at the Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday.

Sri Lanka 239 - Australia 229.

In the celebrations that followed, others who starred in this memorable victory were Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandmal. Lahiru Thirimanne and Lasith Malinga. They need mention because of their special contributions.

All in all it was a fine team effort a magnificent comeback, considering the battering they received from the Indians in Hobart.

When the Aussies set about their victory chase, they were rocked by a deadly spell by Malinga who got rid of the opener David Warner and Peter Forrest and then when Nuwan Kulasekera had Matthew Wade the Aussies were on the skids at 26 for 3.

Skipper Watson and Michael Hussey added 87 for the fourth wicket, but it was to no avail. Once Hussey went, Malinga bowled Watson middle stump with stinging Yorker for 65 and it was all over bar the shouting.

The rest of the Aussies crumbled like nine pins. Only David Hussey showed fight with a solid knock.

When David Hussey 74 was last out caught at deep mid off by Dilshan off Kulasekera, all hell broke loose with the players embracing each other and doing the jig of joy and the fans going delirious with joy.

Dinesh Chandimal was the Player of the match.

After the victory Jayawardena said that was a fine team effort, after what happened against India. He attributed the victory to the youngsters in the team who gave him all the support.

He said that they had a long chat after the loss to India and with all the players rallying round, he was confident of winning and figuring in the finals. He thanked the Lankans domiciled here for their tremendous support.

Thursday was gloomy with rain falling. But when match playing day dawned it was bright and sunny and after Mahela Jayawardena had won the toss and elected to bat and when James Pattinson ran in to bowl the first ball the ground was bathed in sunshine.

At the start of play the Sri Lankan supporters sporting the Sri Lankan shirts’ lion flags fluttering and papare, papare bands easily outnumbered their Australian counterparts.

Sri Lanka had brought in off spinner Sachitra Senanayake for the injured Farveez Maharoof, while Australia pulled out fast man Brett Lee, who has still not fully recovered from a broken toe and gave

Pattinson who has recovered from injury his first bowl in the series.

For Sri Lanka to figure in the best of three finals, they had to win this game.But disaster struck in the second over bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus when Jayawardena was run out trying to steal a single with the score on 10 for 5.

Dilshan who hit Pattinson for two copybook cover drives went next when he edged the bowler to Matthew Wade behind the stumps for 9 with the score on 17. That was not the start that the Lankans were looking for.

However Kumar Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal joined forces to provide some scintillating stroke play where they attacked the Aussie bowlers playing some audacious strokes and with some excellent running between the wickets.

Particularly aggressive and arrogant was young Chandimal. He was always on the lookout for runs and the two sixes he hit off Dan Christian and Xavier Doherty had to be seen to be believed.

Sangakkara started from where he left off in Hobart and was quickly into his stride playing his usual fluent strokes, with his cover driving the highlight. They put on a grand stand of 123 in 144 balls, before Sangakkara attempting a big hit top edged to be caught by Peter Forrest at square-leg off James Pattinson for 64 in 93 balls with 3 fours.

Chandimal’s innings ended when he lofted Pattinson to mid off for 75 in 84 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. It was another mature innings when it was most needed. He cut and drove with good timing. With the dismissal of Chandimal at 186 a rot set in wherte the Lankans lost 4 wickets for 11 runs – that of Angelo Mathews 5, Thissara Perera 5, Sachithra Senanayake and Nuwn Kulasekera without scoring and the board read 206 for 8.

Medium Pacer Dan Christisan had Perera caught and trapped Senanayake and Kulasekera in front to achieve a hat trick. He finished with the figures of 5 for 31.

During this mayhem, Lahiru Thirimanne who was bating steadily reached a good 51 with 2 fours and together with Rangana Herath put on 29 for the 9th wicket. Thirimanne attempting to play to leg dragged the ball on to his stumps.

The Lankans were finally all out for 239 when Lasith Malinga was bowled with Herath remaining unbeaten on 14.

James Pattinson playing his first game had figures of 4 for 51.Together with Christoian he caused the Lankan batting debacle.

Sri Lanka

M. Jayawardene run out (D. Hussey) . . . . .     5
T. Dilshan c Wade b Pattinson . . . . . 	 9
K. Sangakkara c Forrest b Pattinson . . . 	64
D. Chandimal c McKay b Pattinson . . . 		75
L. Thirimanne b Pattinson . . . 		51
A. Mathews c Doherty b Christian . . . 		 5
T. Perera c M. Hussey b Christian . . 		 5
S. Senanayake lbw b Christian . . . . . . . . 	 0
N. Kulasekara lbw b Christian . . . . . . . . 	 0
R. Herath not out . . . . . . . . . 		14
L. Malinga b Christian . . . . . . . . 		 2

Extras ( b2, lb4, w2) . . . . 			 8
Total (all out; 50 overs) . 			238
Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Jayawardene),
		2-17 (Dilshan), 3-140
		(Sangakkara), 4-186 (Chandimal),
		5-195 (Mathews), 6-206
		(Perera), 7-206 (Senanayake),
		8-206 (Kulasekara), 9-235 (Thirimanne),
		10-238 (Malinga)
Bowling: Pattinson 10-0-51-4
		(1w), Hilfenhaus 7-0-29-0,
		McKay 8-0-39-0 (1w), D. Hussey
		1-0-6-0, Christian 9-0-31-5, Watson
		7-0-28-0, Doherty 8-0-48-0

Australia

M. Wade lbw b Kulasekara . . . . . 		 9
D. Warner c Perera b Malinga . . . . . 		 6
S. Watson b Malinga . . . . . . . . . 		65
P. Forrest c Sangakkara b Malinga . . . 	 2
M. Hussey c Sangakkara b Thirimanne 		29
D. Hussey c Dilshan b Kulasekara . . . 		74
D. Christian c and b Senanayake . . . . .	 3
J. Pattinson c Dilshan b Herath . . . . . 	12
C. McKay run out (Dilshan) . . . 		 6
X. Doherty c Dilshan b Malinga . . . . . 	 7
B. Hilfenhaus not out0

Extras (w15, nb1) . . . . 			16
Total (all out; 49.1 overs)			229
Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Warner),
		2-18 (Wade), 3-26 (Forrest),
		4-113 (M. Hussey), 5-140 (Watson),
		6-151 (Christian), 7-178
		(Pattinson), 8-187 (McKay),
		9-226 (Doherty), 10-229 (D. Hussey)
		Bowling: Malinga 10-0-49-4
		(3w/7), Kulasekara 9.1-1-38-2
		(1w), Mathews 4-0-8-0, Senanayake
		10-0-50-1 (2w/3), Perera
		0.5-0-8-0, Thirimanne 4.1-0-25-
		1, Herath 10-0-43-1 (1nb, 2w),
		Dilshan 1-0-8-0 (1w/2)