2007 Cricket World Cup: Australia vs Sri Lanka

April 16, 2007

Australia have beaten Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the Super 8 phase of the World Cup at Queen's Park, St. George's, Grenada. Both teams had qualified for the semi-final stage of the competition before the match.

Sri Lanka faltered early in their innings, struggling to 27-3. Silva (64) and Jayawardene (72) shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 140 to help Sri Lanka to 167-4. However wickets fell regularly after that, losing their next five wickets for just 17 runs, before Bandara and Maharoof's late stand of 34. Nathan Bracken was the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking 4/19.

Australia were never troubled by the modest target and a bowling attack missing Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga. They reached the target of 227 in 42.4 overs for the loss of just three wickets. Ricky Ponting was Australia's top scorer with 66 off 80 balls while Andrew Symonds scored 63 off 71 balls. Sri Lanka's best bowling performance came from Russel Arnold with 2/20.

Toss: Sri Lanka won, and elected to bat first.

Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Jayasuriya, 4.3 ov), 2-27 (Sangakkara, 5.3 ov), 3-27 (Tharanga, 6.4 ov), 4-167 (Silva, 37.2 ov), 5-174 (Jayawardene, 39.4 ov), 6-178 (Dilshan, 41.0 ov), 7-183 (Arnold, 42.4 ov), 8-184 (Kulasekara, 43.3 ov), 9-218 (Bandara, 49.0 ov), 10-226 (Maharoof, 49.4 ov)

Fall of wickets: 1-76 (Hayden, 11.5 ov), 2-79 (Gilchrist, 13.3 ov), 3-126 (Clarke, 23.1 ov)

Did not bat: B J Hodge, M E K Hussey, G B Hogg, N W Bracken, S W Tait, G D McGrath

Australia: A C Gilchrist (wkt), M L Hayden, R T Ponting (capt), M J Clarke, B J Hodge, M E K Hussey, A Symonds, G B Hogg, N W Bracken, S W Tait, G D McGrath Sri Lanka: W U Tharanga, S T Jayasuriya, K C Sangakkara (wkt), D P M D Jayawardene (capt), L P C Silva, T M Dilshan, R P Arnold, M F Maharoof, K M D N Kulasekara, C M Bandara, C R D Fernando

Player of the match: N W Bracken (Australia)

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and B R Doctrove (West Indies) TV umpire: M R Benson (England) Match referee: M J Procter (South Africa) Reserve umpire: D J Harper (Australia)