Simon Katich made 52, the only half-century in a low-scoring match, to lead Australia to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a tri-series limited-overs cricket match on Thursday.
Sri Lanka’s innings of 218 for eight was built around a series of modest scores and minor partnerships. Australia followed that trend as they surpassed the target score with five wickets down and nine balls to spare.
Katich’s dogged innings of 50 from 83 balls stood out among a medley of moderate contributions. Sri Lanka’s highest individual score was 34 and, after Katich, Australia’s next-best totals were Damien Martyn’s 46, Adam Gilchrist’s 34 and Andrew Symonds’s 32.
Thursday’s win, crowning the national holiday Australia Day, pushed the home team four points clear at the top of the tri-series standings. After seven matches, Australia have 14 points, Sri Lanka nine and South Africa eight as the series moves to Perth for matches on Sunday and Tuesday.
Australia’s progress toward Sri Lanka’s total was slowed on Thursday by a difficult pitch. Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed two wickets in the 41st over to cause them some anxiety, but Mike Hussey (25) and Michael Clarke (16) stayed at the crease to see them safely home.
Earlier, Brad Hogg, Nathan Bracken and Symonds shared seven wickets as Australia curbed Sri Lanka’s scoring.
The success enjoyed by spinners Hogg and Symonds and the lanky left-arm quick Bracken illustrated the variable nature of the used Adelaide Oval pitch, which offered bounce to the fast-bowlers and allowed the spinners to exploit skid and turn.
Symonds took three for 48 from nine overs, Hogg two for 35 and Bracken two for 45 from completed spells. For Sri Lanka, Muralitharan took two for 35 with probing off-spin and Nuwan Kulasekara two for 32 with accurate medium pace.
Sri Lanka made a ponderous start after winning the toss as openers Jehan Mubarak and Upul Tharanga, paired in the absence of Sanath Jayasuriya who aggravated a shoulder injury, struggled through tight early spells from Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath.
The pair eventually opened their shoulders and began to score with more fluency, putting on 53 in 13,3 overs for the first wicket, but Mubarak was out for 34 and a trend had been set for the match.
Tharanga made 31, Kumar Sangakkara 25, Mahela Jayawardene 25 and Marvan Atapattu 32 as the first five Sri Lankan batsmen made starts on which they were unable to build.
Each team faced a captaincy change before or during the match.
Adam Gilchrist led Australia in the absence of Ricky Ponting, who was rested, while Sri Lanka lost some direction late in the match when Atapattu left the field injured. — Sapa-AP