Player of the Match
Player of the Match
2098dThe Bulletin by Brydon Coverdale at the MCG

Gilchrist fires but Sri Lanka get consolation win

Adam Gilchrist provided the fireworks but Sri Lanka's seamers had the extinguisher at the MCG, where Australia's blistering start of 0 for 107 in the 15th somehow turned into their first loss in nearly three weeks

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

AC Gilchrist
AC Gilchrist
83(50) 11x4 - 2x6
Control %78%
  • Productive Shot
  • off side drive on front foot
  • 18 runs
  • 2x4 - 1x6
2 4 11 1 20 11 16 18
TM Dilshan
TM Dilshan
62(70) 3x4 - 0x6
Control %87%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull/hook on back foot
  • 20 runs
  • 3x4 - 0x6
6 6 15 5 6 4 7 13

Best performances - Bowlers

NW Bracken
O10
M3
R29
W4
Eco2.90
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
MKDI Amerasinghe
O10
M2
R44
W3
Eco4.40
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Jayasuriya loves that, clenching his fist and if that's his last contribution in a game on Australian soil, as it is likely to be, well, that was a fitting ending. What a game at the MCG, it had everything and Sri Lanka are jubilant with their second win of the tournament. It's not enough for them to stay in the tournament of course, but this was the most live of dead rubbers. Handshakes all round now as the Australia team come into the tunnel.

10.20pm Here's Jayasuriya. "We badly needed this win today. Overall we didn't bat well. The bowlers have been bowling well and the fielders have backed up well."

And here's another who won't be back to Australia, Murali. "It's going to be the last tour for me definitely, good on us for finishing like that. I enjoyed myself always, sometimes ups and downs in Australia but I enjoy the cricket."

And their departure will be swift, as Jayasuriya explains. "We are flying out tonight, a 12.30 flight. Should be able to do it, a wash and then on to the airport."

Great work from the pair who have given so much to the game over so many years.

Here's Ponting. "It looked like a couple of us got done off the surface rather than anything else. These sort of wickets, and chasing runs, you can't affort to lose groups of wickets. Gilly struck the ball beautifully. He's showing some great form going into the finals. I'd rather that performance come tonight rather than on Sunday.

"It's always painful when you lose, especially when you seemingly have the game in the bag like we did. Sri Lanka bowled well and took the chances when they came."

Tonight's Man of the Match is Gilchrist, although Jayawardene must have come close there. "I had that game by the throat, so I feel a bit silly," he says. "I should have seen it through, I got carried away. When you get out like that you think 'No big deal' but then it changed.

"I'm very proud of the time I've had here. The crowd were fantastic, just a shame they've got to leave with a loss. Hopefully this will sharpen us up, it was a reminder."

Here's Jayawardene now: "Guys are all ready to head to the airport. We showed a lot of character today and can take a lot of positives. We had a lot of opportunities in this tournament but we didn't take them. We have to learn to take them."

Thanks for joining me for this cracker today. Do tune in again on Sunday when we'll be back with coverage of the sold-out first final from the SCG when Australia will take on India while Sri Lanka are leaving on a jet plane... in a few hours. They'll be able to have a celebratory drink then, though after today.

48.1
W
Jayasuriya to Lee, OUT, another inspired decision by Jayawardene! Jayasuriya strikes with his first delivery of the match at a crucial time, the batsman trying to pull across the line and he got an inside edge back on to leg stump and all the stumps wobble

B Lee b Jayasuriya 37 (80m 59b 2x4 1x6) SR: 62.71

Jayasuriya into the attack. No pressure then on the man who has not bowled all day. Jayawardene has a word with him and a pat on the shoulders

END OF OVER:
48 | 5 Runs | AUS: 208/9 (14 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 4.33, RRR: 7.00)

  • Brett Lee37 (58b)
  • Nathan Bracken14 (26b)
  • Ishara Amerasinghe10-2-44-3
  • Nuwan Kulasekara10-3-36-2

Now then, does this match have a final twist?

47.6
1
Amerasinghe to Lee, 1 run, on off, driven out to mid-on and they looked for the two, Bracken says "No" and that means Lee is back on strike

The batsmen meet to consult

47.5
1
Amerasinghe to Bracken, 1 run, on the legs, pushes out deep square where Malinga fires it back in
47.4
0
Amerasinghe to Bracken, no run, right up there on off, a dot ball builds the pressure there as Bracken defends back into the turf
47.3
1
Amerasinghe to Lee, 1 run, outside off, cut into the ground off the back foot and they hasten through

That far away, the ball was

47.2
1
Amerasinghe to Bracken, 1 run, another yorker, this time slightly outside off, and driven to Jayasuriya at mid-on who would have got him out with a direct hit

Australia 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st107AC GilchristJR Hopes
2nd6RT PontingAC Gilchrist
3rd2RT PontingMJ Clarke
4th0RT PontingA Symonds
5th0A SymondsMEK Hussey
6th8MEK HusseyBJ Haddin
7th19GB HoggMEK Hussey
8th16GB HoggB Lee
9th15B LeeMG Johnson
10th35B LeeNW Bracken

Australian Tri Series (CB Series)

TeamMWLPTNRR
AUS852260.769
IND833170.121
SL82510-0.949