 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
Australia A beats Sri Lanka by 102 runs Posted: Saturday December 14, 2002 7:06 AM
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- Jimmy Maher's century inspired Australia A to a 102-run win over Sri Lanka Saturday in a limited-overs cricket match at the Gabba. Australia A captain Justin Langer won the toss and elected to bat, with the hosts propelled to 312 for eight on Maher's 106, Michael Clarke's half century and Ryan Campbell's brilliant cameo innings. In reply, Sri Lanka slumped to 70 for five in the 17th over before Russel Arnold's unbeaten 86 off 83 balls lifted the tourists to 210 for six from 48 overs. Arnold shared a 99-run sixth wicket stand with Gehan Mubarak before Mubarak was run out for 36 by Langer. Australia's second string lineup is 2-for-2 against the touring national lineups after beating England in a warmup match last week. It was Sri Lanka's first match on tour and champion offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan was on the sidelines. Test opener Langer and Maher raced to 97 before a mixup in the 16th over resulted in both Australians at the striker's end and the captain run out at the non-striker's end. Maher made amends with 106 off 114 balls, including nine boundaries, and shared a match-winning 117-run third-wicket partnership with Clarke until he was caught out in the deep in the 41st over. Clarke scored 79 runs off 83 balls, helping lift the total to 297 before he was out trying to push the run-rate, caught in the outfield by Sujeewa de Silva off Dilhara Fernando's bowling in the dying overs. Campbell was elevated in the order and scored 42 runs off 28 balls before he was trapped lbw by Fernando, who took three wickets in the last over and finished with 4-57 from 10 overs. The innovative West Australian played two unique strokes, stepping outside off stump and using the momentum of the delivery to scoop the ball back over his shoulder and over fine leg with one shot and over the wicketkeeper with another. Campbell's innings included four boundaries and a towering six. Sri Lanka faces England in two one-dayers before meeting Australia on Dec. 22 in the tri-nation limited-overs series. |
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||
