Skip to main contentAccess keys helpA-Z index

[an error occurred while processing this directive]
watch listen BBC Sport BBC Sport
Low graphics|Help
---------------
CHOOSE A SPORT
RELATED BBC SITES

Australia v Sri Lanka
Grenada, 16 April 2007

Test Match Special podcast | Blog



WORLD CUP SUPER 8, GRENADA: Australia 232-3 bt Sri Lanka 226 all out by seven wickets

Australia wrapped up a comfortable seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Grenada, scoring 232-3 to extend their unbeaten World Cup run to 26 games.

Captain Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds saw Australia home with an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 106.

Sri Lanka rested Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas, and their makeshift bowling attack rarely threatened.

Mahela Jayawardene (72) and Chamara Silva (64) had helped Sri Lanka make 226, while Nathan Bracken took 4-19.

ALL THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENED

606: DEBATE
Text us on 84040, e-mail via the form on our web page or contribute to 606

By Tom Fordyce

43rd over: Aus 232-3 - AUSTRALIA WIN BY SEVEN WICKETS
That's the way to finish it - Ponto smahes a giant six back over Banda's head, and it's an easy, easy win in what should have been a much tougher match.

42nd over: Aus 226-3
Symonds crunches Dilshan over midwicket for four, and the scores are level.

41st over: Aus 220-3
Banda back on, three singles.

40th over: Aus 217-3
Symmo drills a two and sinlge off Dilshan. 10 needed off 60 balls.

39th over: Aus 214-3
That's 50

Maha comes in for some lake flay - first as Ponto lofts casually over mid-off for four, then as Symonds crunches through cover off the front foot to bring up his half-century off 56 balls. He's had tougher knocks in his back garden.

38th over: Aus 200-3
Tidy from Dilshan - just a single to Ponting. They're doing this in their sleep here.

37th over: Aus 199-3
Wicket falls

There's Ponto's half-century - no champagne effort, but exactly what the job required. Took him 67 balls, with a mere three fours thrown in there. Six singles and a no-ball off the over.

36th over: Aus 192-3
Two singles off Dilshan. In the crowd, four India fans are sitting glumly while wearing hats with fake dreds handing from inside the brims.

35th over: Aus 190-3
Easy as you like off Banda. 37 needed from 90 balls, with seven wickets in hand - I'll understand if you switch off now and go to do the ironing.

34th over: Aus 187-3
Dilshan on for a gentle tweak, and there's ones and twos wherever they want them. No contest at all at the moment, and Sri Lanka have never really looked like they fancied it.

33rd over: Aus 182-3
Casual brutality from Symonds - he creams the returning Banda over midwicket for four, and then reaches forward to hoist another through the same region. He's rattled on to 38 off 41 balls, and the partnership's 56 off 59 balls.

32nd over: Aus 174-3
Some excellent white-man dancing going on in the stands - the sort of enthusiastic, mis-judged effort you'd expect to see from your uncle at a family wedding when the clock strikes midnight and the DJ puts the dancier stuff on.

31st over: Aus 172-3
Symmo flexes the muscles again against Jaya, battering a full toss over wide midwicket for a skimmer six and then rocking back to flay a slightly short one through extra cover like a rocket.

30th over: Aus 160-3
Ponto's loving this - he's going through the repertoire, dabbing late for a classy two to third man, chipping over the in-field like a golfer with a wedge and driving off the back foot with elbow high. The pair punch gloves gently in the middle.

29th over: Aus 154-3
Symmo's never happy to simply cruise, though - he strolls down the track to Jaya and smacks him over long-on for a biggie.

28th over: Aus 145-3
Russel Arnold back on, and there's three easy singles. Run-rate required just 3.6 an over, and they're cruising at the mo.

27th over: Aus 141-3
Big shout from Jaya as he deflects Symmo's drive back onto the stumps at the bowler's end. Ponting looks at him with displeasure, but it's closer than he thinks - his bat definitely bounced up as he thrust it back behind the crease, although no umpire could give it - not with 100% happiness.

26th over: Aus 139-3
Easy runs off Banda - Ponting waits for a shorter one and crunches it past point's left hand for a well-timed four, and then comes down the track to clip-drive for singles.

25th over: Aus 132-3
Three to Symonds off Jaya, a measured pull for two and a squirted single.

24th over: WICKET - Clarke c Dilshan b Bandara 23, Aus 126-3
Wicket falls

Great catch from Dilshan, tumbling forward at cover as Clarke tries another one of those trademark drives. Banda beat him a touch in the flight there, dipping one in on him. Clarke doesn't want to go - he's not sure Dilshan got his fingers under it - but Umpire Doctrove gives him the off.

23rd over: Aus 126-2
Two singles of Sanath, whose shaven pate is glistening in the afternoon sun.

22nd over: Aus 124-2
Bandara tosses one up and Clarke drives sumptuously again through cover for his third textbooker of the innings. The drumming in the party stands speeds up a touch.

21st over: Aus 118-2
Jayasuriya, who seems to have been in the Sri Lanka side since the dawn of time, is the third twirler in blue to ply his stuff. His seniority allows him to bowl without the field restrictions, but even three or four an over are ample for the Aussies.

20th over: Aus 114-2
A thumping off-drive from Ponting off Bandara brings him four clinical runs, but he almost gets himself run out with some over-enthusiastic backing-up from the final ball. That brings an end to the powerplay overs and Australia are more than half way to their target already.

19th over: Aus 105-2
Fernando returns, and he probably wished he hadn't bothered - Clarke creams him through cover for two replica fours. Joy amongst the Spidey posse in the party stand.

Vote results: 5,489 got involved - 55% think South Africa will reach the semis, 43% think England and only 2% are backing a surprise late charge by the Windies.

18th over: Aus 97-2
Ponts tucks into a short one from Banda and cuts square for a chunky four, and then sits back on his crease to tap away the remaining five balls.

17th over: Aus 93-2
Clarke's getting his front pad a long way across, and Ponto's obviously concerned about another lbw shout - he comes down and has a flinty word with his younger compadre. Clarke is dot-balled until a late flash sneaks him an edged four through the vacant slip area.

If you're wondering where all your chat's got to, we're having a few technical horrors. I'm not ignoring you - I'll just be receiving 2,000 emails in one lump about 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.

16th over: Aus 89-2
Malinga Bandara is thrown the ball for his first twirl of the tournament, and the Aussie pair squirt him away for four singles. Malinga's barnet, while by no means as impressive as his speedier namesake's, is certainly notable - a swept-back semi-mullet with considerable loft.

15th over: Aus 85-2
Tighter from Kula - Ponto steers one nicely behind point for two before keeping Michael Clarke on his toes with two away-nibblers on off.

14th over: WICKET - Gilchrist lbw b Arnold 30, Aus 79-2
Wicket falls

That makes it interesting - Gilchrist misses a straight one, there's a huge appeal and Aleem Dar has his finger up before Gillie can even gulp nervously. Who needs Murali when you've got Russel?

13th over: Aus 78-1
Kula kontinues, and new-man Ponto gets his eye in before gliding a single down to third man. Animated chat between the skipper and Gillie.

12th over: WICKET - Hayden c Dilshan b Arnold 41, Aus 76-1
Wicket falls

Now there's a surprise - one ball after hoisting Arnold high over long-on for six, Haydo loses concentration, gets an inside edge and holes out to midwicket. He's furious, too - slapping his bat onto his pads and mouthing off at the clouds as he strides off.

11th over: Aus 69-0
You've gotta say, this is a tough ask for Nuwan Kulasekara. He's only in his 19th one-day international, he bowls medium pace, there's nothing in the wicket and he's coming in to the most successful opening pair in one-day history. Sure enough, Haydo goes after him, pulling him through midwicket and then battering him straight.

10th over: Aus 59-0
The 50 partnership comes up with a Haydo slap over midwicket for four, and that's the 25th this pair have shared in one-dayers. Maha drops shorts again and Haydo repeats the trick. Maho sighs his skinny shoulders in resigned despair.

9th over: Aus 48-0
Big wallops for Gilchrist off Fernando - first guiding one down to third man off a an opened face, and then waiting on a sludgey attempted bouncer to pull late to fine leg. Inflatable kangaroos are brandished in the stands.

8th over: Aus 40-0
I've been harsh on Hulk - he has got finesse in his armoury. A lovely late dab between gully and slip brings him two. Good drumming/cowbell action from the rhythm section in the crowd, and an Aussie who looks very much like the young Limahl dances in camp fashion.

7th over: Aus 34-0
Luck for Gillie - he prods at Fernando's slower one and sends it just over Jayawardene's fingers at short extra cover. He then hits a sweet drive back past the bowler's laces for his best four of the day, and squints happily back at his partner.

6th over: Aus 27-0
Quintessential Hayden - he slaps Maha through wide mid-on with a shot that's all muscle and no finesse, and then belts him high over the same area for the first six of the innings. Chomp, chomp, chomp go the massive jaws.

5th over: Aus 18-0
Fernando keeps his line, and there's only a single apiece. His hairstyle is unique in this World Cup - like a coal-black version of the bleached effort sported by Judith Chalmers in her heyday.

4th over: Aus 16-0
Maha continues, and there's just a single to Gillie off an attempted heave-ho to leg. In the crowd, a bunch of Australia fans dressed in skin-tight green-and-gold Spiderman outfits throw imaginary webs at the skies.

3rd over: Aus 15-0
Better from Fernando - on the spot between middle and off, angled across the leftie, and Hayden can't get him away. Two men close in on the drive, looking for the early uppish bag.

2nd over: Aus 15-0
Maharoof from the other end, and Gillie gets on the front foot to clatter a fullish one through cover. New vote for web-users to have a pop at - on your right as you view this.

1st over: Aus 11-0
Fernando, his hair a glossy bouffant, produces an absolute shocker at the top - two wides, a no ball, a full toss on leg for Gilchrist to punch away for three and another which Hayden tucks into for a four to fine leg. Rubbish.

SRI LANKA INNINGS

50th over: WICKET - Maharoof c Symonds b Bracken 25, SL 226 all out
Wicket falls

That's your lot - Maha goes down the ground and is comfortbaly bagged by Symonds jogging in from long-on. Good little finale from Sri Lanka - the target's only 227, but it could have been a whole heap less. See you in 40.

49th over: WICKET - Bandara c Hogg b McGrath 17, SL 218-9
Wicket falls

McGrath needed that - Maharoof had just driven him straight for a textbook four and then got a thick inside edge for another, and there were all sorts of sulks going on. Then Banda mis-times a pull, sends the ball loopiong towards midwicket and Hogg strolls round to do the honours.

48th over: SL 206-8
Banda goes again against Clarke, and it's another six to the same location - high over wide long-on. 16 off 17 for the other Malinga.

47th over: SL 197-8
Bandara tries to do his bit to up it - he swings freely at McGrath and connects beautifully for a whopping six. Glenn kicks the turf.

46th over: SL 189-8
Make that 3-11 for Bracks - they can't get him away at all. 15 overs since the last boundary, and the run-rate's down to just over four an over.

45th over: SL 187-8
Not sure Maharoof and new man Bandara fancy this much - it's all got a bit pacey. Tait concludes with two bouncers and just three singles off his final over. His figures: 2-68 off 10. A group of Aussie sheiks - green headresses, yellow everywhere else - jump for joy.

44th over: WICKET - Kulasekara c Hayden b Bracken 1, SL 184-8
Wicket falls

Bracken back, and he's in the wickets from the off - running one across the clueless Kula, taking the edge and celebrating as Hayden leans to his left to bag the chance. Bracks' figures so far: 3-9 off eight overs. With three maidens.

43rd over: WICKET - Arnold b Tait 3, SL 183-7
Wicket falls

Good come-back from Taito, this - Russel tries to pull off the back foot against a fast short one and plays straight onto his timbers. It's all falling apart here, and the zinc cream-covered Aussies are cockahoop.

42nd over: SL 180-6
Clarke's doing the bizzo for his team here - just two off the over, and 28 off his seven so far. Maharoof and Arnold together, but the momentum has gone.

41st over: WICKET - Dilshan c Hodge b Tait 7, SL 178-6
Wicket falls

It's three in four overs! Dilshan tries to pull the returning Tait, gets hurried up and spoons it straight to Hodge at midwicket.

40th over: WICKET - Jayawardene st Gilchrist b Hogg 72, SL 173-5
Wicket falls

That's a biggie, and what a dismissal - Hoggie drifts one past the edge of the the groping Jayawardene's bat, Gilchrist spots the toe has inched forward and the bails are off. Doctrove gives it without so much as a whisper to the third umpo. 2-35 off 10 for Hoggy, and Hussey runs over for a high five.

39th over: SL 173-4
Tillakaratne Dilshan in, and Clarke's tidy darts continue - just four more singles.

38th over: WICKET - Silva c Clarke b Hogg 64, SL 167-4
Wicket falls

That's blown it - Silva tries to slog-sweep Hoggy, gets a top-edge and Clarke bags the easiest of snags at short fine leg. Big jump in the air from bowler, 'keeper and sundry fielders.

37th over: SL 167-3
Four singles off Clarke - partnership up to 140.

36th over: SL 163-3
Delightful shot from Skipper - the most delicate of late-dabs off Hogg for four down to third man. Rumour has it that former Aussie paceman Carl Rackemann is in the ground - wonder if he fancies a joust at breaking this partnership?

35th over: SL 156-3
Silva's ditched his lid as the heat builds, and he pulls Clarke happily. Good running by this pair - they work ones and twos at will as Clarke goes for eight off the over. Innings-saving partnership, this - 250's looking very possible again.

34th over: SL 148-3
Nice from Jawaw - he steps away to cut Hoggy square. Haydos powers round the cover boundary and makes a diving save before hurling the ball back in with the strength of a bionic man.

33rd over: SL 141-3
That's 50

That's Silva's 50 too, coming off 90 balls. Taito gets the smallest slice of revenge for his flaying in the last over by cracking the skipper on the elbow with a snorting bouncer but then gets popped away for single after single.

32nd over: SL 134-3
Ponto's had enough - he turns to Bracks to tighten things up. Does a job, too - with Gillie standing up, Silva plays and misses twice outside off-stump. Mike Hussey jogs across at the end of the over and gives Bracken a friendly pat on the rump.

31st over: SL 133-3
That's 50

Absolute stinker from Taito - Jawaw tucks in to a leg-stump line with a flicked four over an unimpressed McGrath at short fine leg and then middles him way, way over midwicket for a massive six. Chuck in the wide down leg and the easy two off the final ball, and you've got yourself a far-from-happy Ponto. Half-ton for his opposite number.

30th over: SL 119-3
You can't argue with a powerplay to liven things up - Jawaw goes down on one knee against McGrath and pops him through leg slip for the cheekiest of fours.

29th over: SL 113-3
Taito is also back on as Ponting punts on a twin pace attack for the powerplay. Silva's well set now, though, and he drives the wayward one through the covers for a super four. He tries a pull next ball that nearly gets through him - prompting Jaya to have a quiet word - something along the lines of "behave" by the look of things.

28th over: SL 109-3
Punters decides enough is enough for this stand, and throws the ball back to Glenn McGrath. The Aussie skipper also takes the final powerplay and, after a quick single, Jaya digs one just over the head of Brad Hodge at short midwicket for a couple - Pigeon's not happy and demands Hodge grow 10 inches by the next over. Jaya ends the over with a wonderful clout over mid-off for four.

27th over: SL 102-3
Partnership up to 75 as Silva sweeps Clarkie. Gillie chews the webbing of his gloves.

26th over: SL 96-3
Silva finally gets hold of Hogg, pull-sweeping him square for the first four in living memory. Hogg winces and wipes his hand in the dust.

25th over: SL 91-3
More Clarkie, firing it in on middle with zero turn. We've hit the mid-innings slump here - neither the wicket-tastic thrash of the early overs nor the frantic slapping of the finale.

24th over: SL 90-3
Jawaw tries to clout Hogg to leg but has to settle for a single and dooblay. Out on the boundary, Tait's back on his yellow juice - hope none of the boys have played a cruel practical joke on him.

23rd over: SL 85-3
Clarke on for a slice of his own spin pie, and a slipped-out full toss gets walloped by Silva through Hogg's hands at short third man for two. The Aussie pair both look suitably ashamed.

22nd over: SL 81-3
Hogg's loving this - he's never been given this much respect in all his twirling days. Silva wants to get after him but he can't get close.

From Andy in Leeds: "I'm sure Brad will stamp his authority and send 'em packing. He may even post a century - letters know."

21st over: SL 79-3
If only Symmo could tempt with his floater as well as Hoggy - he's straying down leg, and there's singles all over the place. Silva deflects cheekily to fine leg for four, and Symonds boots thin air in frustration.

20th over: SL 72-3
Silva's tempted by Hogg's floater, but changes his mind mid-joust and stabs it to slip. Hogg's on 0-5 off three - useful.

19th over: SL 70-3
Two to Silva as Symmo goes to leg, but there's a little pressure building here. Dirs should be the favourite on the dancing front, by the way - his electric boogaloo is quite something.

18th over: SL 67-3
Just one off Hogg's over. The postman always delivers etc etc.

17th over: SL 66-3
Andrew Symonds comes on, tying his dreds up before he does so. He starts off with his medium wobblers, and there's easy singles all over. There's a large block of Aussie fans that are dressed in such similar fashion they could be clones - all in yellow sun-hats and white sleeveless tops featuring a logo of a six-pack of a well-known lager that tastes of slightly less than london tap water.

16th over: SL 61-3
Brad Hogg for a twirl, left-arm over, and he keeps it tidy - just two singles. Used to be a postman, Brad Hogg. If anyone's bothered.

15th over: SL 59-3
Taito returns, and after the obligatory wide Jawaw drives him through point for two. He then goes straight with a textbook effort, and is so focused on holding his elbow-high pose for the cameras that he only gets a oner for it.

From Gus in Bristol, TMS inbox: "Could we take a poll on what people think Murali is doing on his day off? Skydiving, building sandcastles, scuba-diving?"

14th over: SL 53-3
That's how you do it, says McGrath - bang on the spot, and just two singles. Tait glugs on a bright yellow beverage out on the boundary. Incredible attention to details, the Aussies under John Buchanan - they've even got their water in team colours.

From James Middleton in Kent, TMS inbox: "Just wondering who, if it has been decided yet, gets to do the text commentary on the final out of you, Mr Dirs and the other, new chap. Do you draw straws or have some sort of three-way pistols-at-dawn scenario?"

It goes to public vote, James - they're sacking off Any Dream Will Do on BBC1 next Saturday night and having Dirs, me and AN Other on instead. We've got to sing, dance and juggle in front of a panel of critical judges, with a public phone vote deciding the winner.

13th over: SL 51-3
Tait back on, and he's having a stinker - Silva gets a thick edge past the huge hams of Haydos at slip for four, and then slams a cut to the point boundary for another. A nose-cutter of a bouncer then gets called a wide, and Tait sugar-bowls the umpire mid-pitch. 0-27 off three for Taito. Ouch.

12th over: SL 42-3
Skipper takes things into his own hands, cracking McGrath over square leg with vigour and then gloving an attempted bouncer down to fine leg for four more. McGrath throws his hands in the air like a stroppy child who's just been told to go to bed early.

11th over: SL 34-3
Super stuff from Bracks - just a single to Jawaw. He's returned 2-8 off his six overs so far - the very antithesis of Mahmood.

10th over: SL 33-3
Five dotters from McGrath, and then Silva leans into an over-pitched one and creams him straight for four. Two huge cruise ships are parked in the harbour. Can't imagine anything worse than a cruise, myself - like a floating Butlin's with compulsory tap-dancing lessons, failed boy-band member singing popular classics and widespread seasickness. And no escape.

9th over: SL 29-3
Bracks to Skipper Jayawardene, and those pingers landing on middle and angling across are no fun to get away at all - it's another maiden. Plenty of yelp from Gillie behind the timbers; Haydos stands at slip with legs spread wide, chomping mechanically on a huge wad of gum.

8th over: SL 29-3
Maiden from McGrath, with Chamara Silva almost frozen in fear at the crease.

From Steve Lowther in Manchester, TMS inbox: "I think Tait could be more accurately described as doing the sugar-bowl mid-pitch. Unless he had one arm on his hip and the other arm extended into a mock spout?"

Good point Steve - you've rumbled me as a tea-bag-in-cup man. No class, that's the problem.

7th over: WICKET - Tharanga c Hayden b Bracken 6, SL 27-3
Wicket falls

Hold on to your mouses - I mean mices - Tharanga's gone too! Left-arm-over Bracks tempts him into a lusty drive, there's an edge and Hayden bags the chance at first slip. Ponto dived across from second slip but pulled his podgy porkers out of the way just in time, and Hulk took the snag.

6th over: WICKET - Sangakkara lbw McGrath 0, SL 27-2
Wicket falls

First over from McGrath, a massive appeal as Sanga shuffles back - and Aleem Dar has seen enough. Up goes the finger. Smiles all over Ponting's face - he's taking the credit for that bowling change - but Sanga's not a happy chap. Replays show that might have been going over the top. Hmmm...

5th over: WICKET - Jayasuriya lbw Bracken 12, SL 26-1
Wicket falls

Swayze strikes, firing one into Jaya's motionless front pad as the old boy looks to flick to leg. Umpire Doctrove has his finger up in a flash, and Sri Lanka's number-one walloper is on his way.

4th over: SL 25-0
Taito's having a flinging ' mare - an attempted bouncer gets a top edge from Jaya and sails over Gillie's head for a one-bounce four. Jaya then gets on the drive for two down the ground, and Tait does the tea-pot mid-pitch.

From Matthew in Sunderland, TMS inbox: "Is it just me who doesn't like the thought of one of Matty Hayden's 'protein shakes'?"

3rd over: SL 16-0
Bracks continues with two slips and a gully, long hair flapping in the style of Patrick Swayze in Point Break or Robbie Savage in a wind tunnel. Just a single and leg bye off the over.

2nd over: SL 14-0
Shaun Tait from the other end, grunting in Seles fashion as he releases the ball. There's more grunting from his skipper as his third ball sizzles down the leg side and sails away for five wides, Gilchrist waving a token glove at it as it disappears down to fine leg. Sunny day in Grenada, with a decent smattering of Aussie fans in the shady stands.

1st over: SL 5-0
Right - here we go - Sri Lanka trying to end Australia's 25-match unbeaten run in the World Cup, although not that hard. Nathan Bracken opens the attack to Upal Tharanga, who's probably been told by Tom Moody to bat with his eyes shut. Nate bends two past the outside edge before Thara grabs a single. Jayasuriya then drives uncertainly and whistles it between cover and point for the first four of the day.

1415 BST
More for you - Sri Lanka have won the toss and will bat. Guess what - Australia are at full strength. Not only that, but Matthew Hayden made everyone in the team one of his special protein shakes for breakast. Probably.

1400 BST
Early news from Grenada, and it's a tactical sneakfest already - Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody has decided to rest Vaas and Murali, rumour has it to prevent the Aussies getting their eye in ahead of a possible final show-down.

Not sure about the thinking behind that - that's ripped a big chunk out of what could have been one of the best games of the World Cup so far. Could still be a belter, of course, but are you honestly as thrilled about the prospect of viewing Malinga Bandara and Nuwan Kulasekara in action?



Name
Your E-mail address
Country
Comments

The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.


RELATED BBC LINKS:

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites


BBC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Daily and weekly e-mails | Mobiles | Desktop Tools | News Feeds | Interactive Television | Downloads
Sport Homepage | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Disability sport | Olympics 2012 | Sport Relief | Other sport...

Help | Privacy & Cookies Policy | News sources | About the BBC | Contact us