Sri Lanka win SCG one-dayer to win series by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Scorecard:	Australia v Sri Lanka
Player:	WU Tharanga
Event:	Sri Lanka in Australia 2010/11

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DateLine: 6th November 2010

 

Australia crashed to their seventh successive defeat as Sri Lanka celebrated their first series win down under with a 29-run victory. In a rain-hit one-day international, Sri Lanka scored 213-3 in 41.1 overs leaving Australia a Duckworth-Lewis adjusted target of 244 from 39 overs. That became 240 from 38 after yet another brief stoppage, but they never threatened and were all out for 210.

 

Sri Lanka can sweep this series 3-0 with a win in Brisbane on Sunday, but the Aussies will be desperate to stop the rot at the Gabba.

 

Upul Tharanga anchored Sri Lanka's innings with an unbeaten 86, beginning shakily but playing some fine shots later on. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara played supportive roles. Tharanga was poised for a century until the rain came, and it never really left the SCG as the players carried on through squally showers.

 

Under the floodlights the movement for Sri Lanka's seamers made life tough for the Australians. Brad Haddin was bowled by a lovely Nuwan Kulasekara inswinger and Ricky Ponting top-edged a pull off Thisara Perera to leave the score on 32-2 in the seventh over. Watson and Michael Clarke put on 46 before Muttiah Muralitharan trapped Watson lbw before completing a diving catch at third man to help Perera grab a second wicket and end Clarke's innings. Neither Mike Hussey nor Cameron White were able to play a match-winning innings as Sri Lanka remained dominant with some unerringly accurate bowling. Lasith Malinga delivered the final blow with a yorker to last man Clint McKay in the final over.