Australia 74 shot out for their third lowest one-day score:

Kulasekera 5/24 and Malinga 3/ 14 UNPLAYABLE

Lankans 2-1 ahead after 4 wicket victory:

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia

This is for RIPLEY’S believe it or not. Australia bowled out for their third lowest score of 74 in one-day cricket by Sri Lanka in 26.4 overs of BRILLIANT bowling and EXCELLENT fielding in the third Commonwealth Bank match at the GABBA, here, today to take a 2-1 lead.

Sri Lankan batsmen made many hearts miss a beat, in getting to the target. But they finally got the 75 in 20 overs. The game scheduled for 100 overs ended in a record 46.4 overs even before the lights could be switched on.– UNIMAGINEABLE.

But chasing 75 to win, the Lankans nearly squandered it with some rash and INEXPLICABLE batting when Jayewardene opening the batting, Dilshan, Thirimanne and Mathews went cheaply to leave Sri Lanka at the deep end on 37 for 4, but Kushal Perera 8 and Tharanga 5 took the team to 48 for 4 at the break, needing another 27 runs.

Steady batting

It was the steady batting by young Kushal Janith Perera 22 not out with 4 fours in 28 balls that saw Sri Lanka to the post. He played some lovely cover drives and was an example to his more experienced team mates.

After the break Tharanga was taken in the slips by Clarke for 16 – 63 for 5. Then Jeevan Mendis 2 played what could be described as a ‘cow’ shot and went at 71 for 5 with Sri Lanka needing four runs for victory. Thisara Perera came in missed the first ball and cut Starc for 4 to the point boundary to signal victory and send the Sri Lankans into raptures.

Nuwan Kulasekera and Lasith Malinga gave a lesson in great seam and swing bowling that had the Australian batsmen groggy and the fielders clutched every catch especially Jayawardene and Kushal Perera.

Intelligent bowling

Kulasekera was DEVASTATING. He bowled intelligently and seamed and swung the ball cleverly and he made the five batsmen he knocked over look NOVICES and out of depth. 5 for 24 in 10 straight overs was his best figures in one-day cricket and he richly deserved it. He was the Player of the match.

Malinga continued from where he left off in Adelaide and stung the batsmen and he too had the enjoyable figures of 3 for 14 in 7 overs. Kulasekera and Malinga were just UNPLAYABLE. Australia won the toss and elected to have first go. They made four changes to the team that lost the second game in Adelaide. In addition to Clarke, Warner and Wade in came all rounder Moises Henriques.

Lanka make one change

Sri Lanka made one change leaving out Ajantha Mendis and bringing in seam bowler Shamindra Eranga who had recovered from his ankle injury. Chandimal failed to pass a fitness test and Upul Tharanga was lucky to retain his place. When Australia batted they were off to a sensational start.

The wicket looked good for batting, but they did not bargain for the pace and movement. In the first overs Australia were shell-shocked losing four wickets for 21 runs.

First out was David Warner when he swatted Angelo Mathews to Shamindra Eranga at mid off for 4 at 4, Phil Hughes held behind brilliantly by a diving Mahela Jayawardene at second slip off Nuwan Kulesekera at 13 for 2.

Missed hat trick

Then in Kulasekera’s third over he had two wickets that of David Hussey given out on the referral brilliantly caught behind by Kushal Perera for 4 at 21 and next ball he had George Bailey plumb in front without troubling the scorers and at 21 for 4 the Aussies were in DISARRAY.

Kulasekera who was on fire then had two more wickets that of Clarke and Henriques bowled through the gate for 9 at 28 and two runs later bowled Henriques for 2 and at 30 for 6 the Australians were REELING. Then Lasith Malinga put his show on stage. Five runs later the slinger knocked back the stumps of Mitchell Johnson for 2 at 35 for 7 and three runs later Malinga forced Wade to drive early and offer Dilshan a catch at point.38 for 8 and Australia TUMBLING.

On their knees

Two more runs and Malinga forced Clint McKay on no score to snick to Perera behind and at 40 for 9 the Australians were on their KNEES and seemed heading for their lowest ever one-day score. Their lowest was 70. But a fighting last wicket stand between the two left handers Mitchell Starc 22 not out and Xavier Doherty 15 who added 34 runs saved their blushes and took them past their lowest ever score. 74 was their SECOND lowest score and still SHAME.

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene said before the game that they were not unduly worried that the Australians were slotting in their three stars – skipper Michael Clarke, David Warner, Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc.

Game plan

‘We have played them before and we have game plans for them and we hope to successfully put those plans into operation. Clarke, Warner and Wade were rested for the first two games. It was a nice warm day in Brisbane and arriving on the ground, I noticed cricket fans queuing up for tickets, some getting the Aussie and Sri Lanka flag painted on their faces.

The Lankan cheer party was bringing in their papare, papare bands, their flags and was readying to enjoy an exciting game and hopefully for a Sri Lankan victory that will give them the lead in this five match series. The ‘Gabba’ as the cricket ground in Brisbane is called was the venue on which the first ever tied Test between Australia and the West Indies was played in the 190/61 series. Brisbane, Friday.