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  • Sri Lanka sends Australia packing

    Ricky Ponting winced as Mitchell Johnson delivered a wide — the pain of defeat writ large on his visage.

    Kumar Sangakkara, who made 55 not out (42b, 4x4, 2x6) to be adjudged Man-of-the-Match, leapt for joy; his equanimity, technique and strokeplay had guided Sri Lanka home in a tricky chase.

    The Group of Death consumed a big scalp as Australia was eliminated in the first stage of the ICC World Twenty20. The result also meant Sri Lanka and the West Indies progressed to the Super Eight stage from Group ‘C.’

    If the Aussies were blown away by Gayle force in their first encounter, they were ambushed by a collective effort from a spirited Sri Lankan side. A six-wicket victory with an equal number of deliveries remaining was an emphatic result for Sangakkara’s men.

    Sri Lanka played smart cricket. Ajantha Mendis bowled a match-turning spell that left the Aussies flummoxed.

    Then, Tillekeratne Dilshan whipped up an innovative innings of telling bat-speed. Sangakkara’s effort had character and Jehan Mubarak delivered the big blows towards the end.

    The Lankans were rocked at the beginning of their pursuit of 160; Sanath Jayasuriya’s flat hit off Brett Lee was brilliantly held by a leaping David Warner at the square-leg fence.

    Audacious Dilshan

    Dilshan made up for Jayasuriya’s departure with a welter of audacious strokes.

    Dilshan reached a 26-ball half-century by getting under a Watson delivery and directing it over the ’keeper’s head!

    Before he was castled by Michael Clarke’s flight and turn from leg to middle, Dilshan had made a rip-roaring 53 (32b, 10x4).

    Sangakkara batted with solidity and flair. He bid his time when Clarke bowled his left-arm spinners with purpose and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz sent down a steady spell.

    After Australia had managed to dismiss Mahela Jayawardene, the Lankan captain took Hauritz on in the 15th over.

    Sangakkara slog-swept and hit straight and sweet for sixes. Chamara Silva fell to a slower variation of the short-ball from Lee but the lanky Mubarak, after a quiet beginning, dumped the paceman over long-off.

    Soon Sangakkara picked Bracken from outside off to sweep him past the ropes and the writing was on the wall for the Aussies.

    SCOREBOARD

    Australia: S. Watson lbw b Mendis 22 (21b, 2x4, 1x6), D. Warner c Dilshan b Mathews 0 (3b), R. Ponting b Mendis 25 (15b, 5x4), B. Haddin b Malinga 16 (17b, 1x6), M. Clarke c & b Udana 11 (15b,), D. Hussey c Jayasuriya b Udana 28 (22b, 1x4, 2x6), M. Hussey lbw b Mendis 1 (5b), M. Johnson (not out) 28 (13b, 2x4, 2x6), B. Lee b Malinga 15 (5b, 2x4, 1x6),N. Hauritz c Sangakkara b Malinga 4 (3b, 1x4), N. Bracken (not out) 4 (1b, 1x4), Extras (w-5): 5; Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs): 159.

    Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-48, 3-59, 4-74, 5-79, 6-94, 7-135, 8-151, 9-155.

    Sri Lanka bowling: Mathews 2-0-10-1, Jayasuriya 2-0-17-0, Udana 4-0-47-2, Malinga 4-0-36-3, Mendis 4-0-20-3. Muralitharan 4-0-29-0.

    Sri Lanka: T. Dilshan b Clarke 53 (32b, 10x4), S. Jayasuriya c Warner b Lee 2 (7b), K. Sangakkara (not out) 55 (42b, 4x4, 2x6), M. Jayawardene c Bracken b Hauritz 9 (12b), C. Silva c Ponting b Lee 11(11b, 1x4), J. Mubarak (not out) 21 (12b, 1x4, 2x6), Extras (b-1, w-6, nb-2): 9; Total (for four wkts. in 19 overs): 160.

    Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-81, 3-98, 4-127.

    Australia bowling: Lee 4-0-39-2, Johnson 2-0-17-0, Bracken 4-0-33-0, Watson 2-0-24-0, Hauritz 4-0-27-1, Clarke 3-0-19-1.

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