Australia's pace attack destroyed the Sri Lankan batting line-up to set up an easy win, but if not for Cameron White's 85 from 49 balls, which rescued his side from a perilous 67 for 5, the bowlers would not have had any runs to play with.
Suraj Randiv, Sri Lanka's unheralded offspinner, was creating porblems aplenty as Australia's top order struggled to get going on a slightly sluggish track. White, known to be a good player of spin, had a crucial role to play along with Michael Hussey. He began with a boundary off Randiv in the seventh over, sweeping aggressively to send out a strong statement of intent. In the next over, he despatched Ajantha Mendis over wide long-on, followed by a cut off Randiv through point in the next over, and Australia's recovery was on track.
Mendis blundered in the eleventh over, dropping a slightly difficult offering, and White ensured that he made the most of the reprieve. With Hussey growing in confidence, White picked a couple of boundaries off Angelo Mathews and turned the strike over efficiently as Australia readied for the final flourish. White cut loose in the 15th over, looting Mendis for a four and a six through the off side. He then trained his guns on the length offerings from Chanaka Welegedara, pummelling the left-armer for two huge sixes in the 17th over. White finished off in brutal fashion, hitting Mendis with the spin over the offside for two more exquisitely timed maximums, to enter the 80s and take Australia to a strong score.
There was more to come. White pulled off one of the best catches of the tournament, flying full-length to his left at point to intercept a fierce cut from Tillakaratne Dilshan, as Sri Lanka's response ran into a rut. It was that kind of day - Sri Lanka almost broke out of jail, but there was no getting past one man.