Sri Lanka put a dampener on Australia Day celebrations in Sydney with a five-wicket win over Australia in the first Twenty20 International at the ANZ Stadium.
They completed a fourth straight win over Australia when Thisara Perera smashed Ben Laughlin for two sixes in the penultimate over.
A second ODI century from Phil Hughes earnt Australia a share of the five-match series against Sri Lanka. After Hughes' century had led them to a respectable 247 for five, Xavier Doherty and Moises Henriques each took three wickets as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 215 in reply.
David Warner, Australia's opening batsman, has been handed an official reprimand after pleading guilty to dissent during the fourth One-Day International against Sri Lanka in Sydney.
After Warner was given out leg before wicket to Thisara Perera for 60 in the 29th over of Australia's innings, Warner delayed his departure from the crease while shaking his head.
Australia will field a much-changed side during the Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka after naming a squad containing several in-form players who used the KFC Big Bash to further their international credentials.
Ben Cutting, Aaron Finch, James Faulkner, Ben Laughlin, Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges have all been called up to the squad for the two matches on 26th and 28th January in Sydney and Melbourne.
Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene has said that he will write to the match referee Javagal Srinath for an explanation as to why today's fourth One-Day International at the SCG was abandoned after a relatively short rain delay.
The light rain lasted for only around an hour, with Jayawardene arguing that there was then ample time for the ground to dry and play to resume.
Rain perhaps saved Australia from a series defeat at the SCG, with it arriving with Sri Lanka on 14 for none in their pursuit of Australia's modest 222 for nine. The hosts must now win the final match in Hobart if they are to earn a share of the spoils.
The Australia innings had followed a similar pattern to that of their humiliation at Brisbane, with Nuwan Kulasekara again doing the bulk of the damage and Mitchell Starc adding an air of respectability to the total with a sprightly knock from number nine. The only difference on this occasion was scale.
Australia captain Michael Clarke has paid tribute to Sri Lanka's bowlers after his side was dismissed for 74 in the third One-Day International in Brisbane.
Nevertheless, he has offered no defence for his batsmen after no top-order player could even reach double figures as Australia lurched to a four-wicket defeat that puts them 2-1 down in the five-match series.
A review of the third One-Day International between Australia and Sri Lanka in Brisbane.
Some stunning Nuwan Kulasekara swing bowling helped set up a first ever win at the Gabba for Sri Lanka, who bowled Australia out for just 74 with Lasith Malinga taking three wickets with his trademark yorkers. Only Mitchell Starc and Xavier Doherty reached double figures.
Cricket Australia (CA) have confirmed that fast bowler Jackson Bird has joined up with Australia's squad ahead of the fourth One-Day International against Sri Lanka.
Ben Cutting had been included as cover for the third game in Brisbane, which Sri Lanka won by four wickets after bowling Australia out for 74, but was subsequently released to play in the Big Bash final.
Things continue to get worse for Australia, who followed up a limp display in Melbourne and a week fending off criticism, by being dismissed for 74 on their way to a four-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in the third One-Day International in Brisbane.
Sri Lanka had never beaten Australia in an ODI at the Gabba prior to the match and might never win as comprehensively again as they reached their target with 30 overs to go.
Australia captain Michael Clarke has launched a staunch defence of the rotation policy that has come in for some criticism during the opening two matches of the One-Day International series against Sri Lanka.
Labelled a 'B-team' by some, a team missing a host of key players won convincinginly in Melbourne but was then soundly beaten in Adelaide.
Australia wicket-keeper Matthew Wade has responded positively to criticism of him by Ian Healy, which was widely published in media channels.
Ahead of the third One-Day International against Sri Lanka in Brisbane on Friday (18th January), Wade says he has spoken with Healy and spent time working on his game with the former Queensland player, who represented Australia in 119 Tests and 168 ODIs.
Fast bowler Ben Cutting has been added to Australia's One-Day International squad as cover ahead of the third and fourth matches against Sri Lanka in Brisbane and Sydney.
Cutting made his debut in the second match in Adelaide following injuries to Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson but he is on hand to step in again should either fail to prove their fitness for Friday's match.
All-rounder Glenn Maxwell has offered a brutally honest assessment of his side's performance in the second One-Day International against Sri Lanka in Adelaide.
Maxwell made eight runs and was given little opportunity to make an impact with the ball during an eight-wicket defeat that came on the back of a thumping 107-run win in Melbourne.
Phil Hughes helped Australia's so-called "B-team" earn the early lead in their ODI series against Sri Lanka. The left-hander, one of three debutants in the home side's line-up, achieved the unique feat of becoming the first Australian to score a century on ODI debut.
Captain Michael Clarke, opening batsman David Warner, wicket-keeper Matthew Wade and fast bowler Mitchell Starc are poised to return to Australia's One-Day International side.
All four were named in the squad for the third and fourth games against Sri Lanka after the squad picked for the start of the series won in Melbourne but was heavily beaten in Adelaide.
Lahiru Thirimanne stroked a superb maiden One-Day International century to guide Sri Lanka to a convincing eight-wicket win over Australia in the second One-Day International in Adelaide.
After rain delayed the start of the match, Sri Lanka won the toss, elected to bowl and dismissed Australia for just 170. Thirimanne was then unbeaten on 102 as they chased down the target with exactly 10 overs to spare to level the five-match series at 1-1.
Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the second One-Day International against Sri Lanka on Sunday after complaining of soreness in his calf following yesterday's win at the MCG. Starc took one for 25 from six overs in that match as Australia won by 107 runs to go one-nil up in the five-match series.
It had been expected that a change in format, coupled with the resting of several key players by the hosts, would have brought about a change in fortune for Sri Lanka on their, thus far, winless tour of Australia.
However, one of Australia's three debutants, Phil Hughes, became the first of his countrymen to hit a century on debut and guided them to a total that was enough to seal another comprehensive win.
It was the sort of ending that most sportstars dream of, but are often cruelly denied. At the crease when the winning runs in the third and final Test between Australia and Sri Lanka were hit in Sydney, Michael Hussey received a standing ovation.
He was unbeaten on 27 when Mitchell Johnson sealed the five-wicket win that handed Australia a 3-0 clean sweep allowing the crowd to rise as one and bid one of their most faithful servants farewell.
Australia have opted to rest senior players for the first two One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka, handing the captaincy to George Bailey.
Ben Cutting, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch are poised to make their ODI debuts but with the likes of Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Shane Watson absent for varying reasons, Brad Haddin and David Hussey add some experience to the squad.
Jackson Bird returned figures of four for 41 as Australia bowled Sri Lanka out for 294 on the opening day of the third and final Test in Sydney.
Bird, who made his debut in the second Test, which Australia won by an innings in Melbourne, has made enough ot an impression for some to compare him with Glenn McGrath.
Australia captain Michael Clarke insists he and his team are fully focussed on trying to complete a 3-0 Test series victory over Sri Lanka ahead of the final Test, which gets underway in Sydney tomorrow (3rd January).
The match will be Michael Hussey's final outing as an international career and the selectors will be thinking about the limited overs matches against Sri Lanka and the upcoming Test tour of India.
Sri Lanka have named their squads for the One-Day International and Twenty20 International series in Australia, recalling a fit-again Ajantha Mendis.
The 16-man squad includes four spinners with Rangana Herath, Akila Dananjaya and Jeewan Mendis joining Mendis while uncapped wicket-keeper Kushal Perera is given a call-up.
Suranga Lakmal and Lahiru Thirimanne will join Sri Lanka's Test squad ahead of the third and final Test against Australia, which starts on 3rd January.
Lakmal will replace fellow fast-bowler Chanaka Welegedara, who picked up a hamstring tear during Sri Lanka's comprehensive defeat in the second Test, while Thirimanne, who was originally named as a standby player for the tour of Australia, will replace Kumar Sangakkara.
Australian batsman Mike Hussey has announced his surprise retirement from all forms of cricket, saying that the New Year Test against Sri Lanka at the SCG will be his last. This comes despite 2012 being one of his best year's to date and will leave a huge hole in Australia's middle-order ahead of the back-to-back Ashes series and this summer's Champions Trophy.
The news that Kumar Sangakkara has been ruled out of the remainder of Sri Lanka's tour of Australia rounded off a thoroughly miserable Boxing Day Test for the tourists - one which had begun with Prasanna Jayawardene's finger injury on day one; continued with Chanaka Welegedara's hamstring tear yesterday; and reached its zenith today when they were bowled out for just 103 in their second innings midway through the second session to hand Australia a comprehensive win.
A look back at the final day of the first Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Hobart. Australia won the game by 137 runs as Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc shared nine wickets in Sri Lanka's second innings, Australia taking six wickets in the final session to clinch a hard-fought victory.
Australia have called up uncapped fast bowler Jackson Bird and recalled Usman Khawaja to cover for injuries ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Melbourne.
Ben Hilfenhaus has been ruled out with a side strain and although captain Michael Clarke is in the squad, a hamstring strain picked up in the opening Test in Hobart, means his participation at the M.C.G is in doubt.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has moved quickly to quash media reports of ball tampering during the first Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Hobart.
ICC Elite Panel match referee Chris Broad issued a statement confirmed that no charges would be laid against any of the players.
Australia completed a 137-run win over Sri Lanka on the final day of the first Test in Hobart to go 1-0 up in their three-match series but only after Sri Lanka took the game into the final hour.
Set 393 to win, the tourists were bowled out for 255 and their wait for a Test win on Australian soil goes on as Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle took nine of the 10 wickets to fall with the last six coming in the final session.
This week's award winner Mike Hussey continued his stellar 2012 with another century to leave Australia on the brink of victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka. He edges out Sri Lanka's first innings centurion Tillakaratne Dilshan and his team-mate Peter Siddle, who took five Sri Lankan first innings wickets, to win the award, as much in recognition of his excellent 12 months as this particular century.
On the back of his accomplished half-century on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Hobart, Australia's Phil Hughes has set his sights on becoming Australia's first choice number three batsman.
David Warner and Michael Clarke also scored half-centuries but Hughes top scored with 86 out of his side's total of 299 for four having been recalled to take over Ricky Ponting's spot in the squad.
Australian captain Michael Clarke says the decision to leave Mitchell Johnson out of the team to take on Sri Lanka in the first Test in Hobart was a tough one.
With Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus back in the side, Johnson misses out as he was preferred to fellow left-armer Mitchell Starc despite enjoying an impressive comeback against South Africa in Perth.
Mahela Jayawardene has confirmed his intention to stand down as Sri Lanka captain following his country's tour of Australia, which begins with the opening Test in Hobart tonight (14th December).
Jayawardene is currently in his second spell as captain after he replaced Tillakaratne Dilshan and vice-captain Angelo Mathews is the early favourite to replace him in all three formats.
A cricket betting video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket betting odds as John Pennington and Alastair Symondson look ahead to the final India vs England Test in Nagpur and the opening Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Hobart.
England go into the final Test 2-1 ahead after wins in Mumbai and Kolkata have left them on the cusp of sealing a first Test series win in India since 1985. Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Monty Panesar have played key roles in getting England ahead, but can they now stay there?
Sri Lanka opted for batting practice on the final day in Canberra as their tour game against Cricket Australia's Chairman's XI was drawn.
Prasanna Jayawardene (71) and Dinesh Chandimal (57) scored half-centuries, adding to a century from Tillakaratne Dilshan and 55 from Kumar Sangakkara on day two.
Phillip Hughes has been handed a recall to Australia's Test squad ahead of the three-match series against Sri Lanka as Ricky Ponting's replacement.
Ponting retired from international cricket following the third and final Test against South Africa in Perth and Hughes has beaten off competition from Usman Khawaja, Rob Quiney and Alex Doolan to fill the vacancy.
Josh Hazlewood is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a foot injury while a number of other players are also to be rested following the end of the Test series between Australia and South Africa.
Cricket Australia (CA) are taking no chances with Hazlewood, who suffered a stress fracture to his left foot last season, and after he reported soreness in the same area, he will be rested for a period of four to six weeks.
Usman Khawaja will captain the Australian Prime Minister's XI in a three-day tour game against Sri Lanka which begins on 6th December in Canberra.
Khawaja is the only player in the squad with Test match experience although Glenn Maxwell has played limited overs cricket for Australia.
Sri Lanka have named a 16-man Test squad ahead of their three-Test tour to Australia, which begins with the opening Test in Hobart on 14th December.
The only changes to the squad from the New Zealand series are the return of Tillakaratne Dilshan and the exclusion of uncapped spinner Tharindu Kaushal in favour of an extra pace bowler in Nuwan Pradeep.
Stuart Law has been appointed as Australia's new batting coach on an interim basis following Justin Langer's decision to take over as Western Australia coach.
Former Bangladesh and Sri Lanka coach Law has been heading up Australia's Centre of Excellence as well as working with the Women's team and the Under-19s.
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