Impressive Sri Lanka Hit Back To Force CB Series Final Decider

Impressive Sri Lanka Hit Back To Force CB Series Final Decider

Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal celebrate their victory in Adelaide

©REUTERS / Action Images

Sri Lanka 274-2 (Dilhan 106, Jayawardene 80) beat
Australia 271-6 (Clarke 117) by eight wickets
Commonwealth Bank Series, Adelaide
Scorecard | Game One

Sri Lanka hit back in stunning fashion to beat Australia by eight wickets in the second Commonwealth Bank Series final in Adelaide and force a deciding game.

A century from Tillakaratne Dilshan and 80 from skipper Mahela Jayawardene put them on course to chase down their target of 272 in 44.2 overs.

David Warner (100) and Michael Clarke (117) both notched centuries themselves as Australia posted 271 for six but ended up on the losing side as Sri Lanka closed on 274 for two with Kumar Sangakkara unbeaten on 51 and Dinesh Chandmal not out on 17.

Dilshan scored 106 in 119 balls, hitting ten fours while Jayawardene's 80 came from 76 balls with eight fours and a six as the pair put on 179 for the first wicket.

After Jayawardene was trapped in front by James Pattinson and Dilshan caught by Michael Hussey off Brett Lee, Sangakkara and Chandimal calmly guided Sri Lanka to victory with an unbroken partnership worth 40.

Earlier, Australia overcome the early dismissals of Matthew Wade, bowled by Dilshan for 14 and Shane Watson, run out by Farveez Maharoof for 15, to post a reasonable score.

Warner became the eighth Australia to score back-to-back ODI centuries by hitting 100 in 140 balls while Clarke's rich vein of form continued as he stroked 117 in just 91 deliveries.

The captain cracked five fours and four sixes and the partnership between the pair was stretched to 184 before Warner was caught by Dilshan off Lasith Malinga.

Husseys Michael and David were both bowled by Malinga for six and seven respectively and in between those wickets Clarke was run out by Rangana Herath.

Daniel Christian was left unbeaten on four as Australia posted a score that was a little on the low side for one that contained two centurions.

In the end, it was well on the low side and they were powerless to prevent Sri Lanka from taking a deserved victory.

It wasn't all plain sailing for Sri Lanka, however. Following a prolonged discussion with the umpires during Australia's innings regarding the calling of a no-ball in the 44th over of Australia's innings.

He was subsequently fined ten percent of his match fee having pleaded guilty to a Level 1 breach of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Code of Conduct.

Australia won the opening game in Brisbane by 15 runs and the two sides will meet again in Adelaide on Thursday 6th March.

© Cricket World 2012