ICC World Cup 2015 Highlights: Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner Help Australia Beat Sri Lanka
Australia registered a 64-run win after Sri Lanka put on a good fight in their chase of 3769. Catch all the highlights here.
Australia have recorded their fourth win of the tournament, beating Sri Lanka by 64 runs. (Scorecard | Standings)
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17.00 (IST): It's all over! Australia beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs to move up to 2nd spot in Pool A table. After Maxwell's stunning century, James Faulkner's three-wicket haul punctured Sri Lanka's resilient attempt in the run chase.
16.52 (IST): Eight down! Upul Tharanga falls, caught by Warner off Faulkner. Sri Lanka 307/8 (45.2)
16.48 (IST): Bowled him! Starc executes a perfect yorker to send Sekkuge Prasanna packing. Sri Lanka 305/7 (44.3)
16.36 (IST): Another one goes! Thisara Perera departs for 8 as he holes one out to Doherty off Johnson. Sri Lanka 293/6 (42.2)
16.32 (IST): Mathews is OUT! caught behind by Haddin off Watson for 35. Top-edge goes straight to the 'keeper. Sri Lanka 283/5 (41.3)
16.30 (IST): Oh dear! Chandimal is forced to retire hurt here. He walks back reluctantly at a 52.
16.25 (IST): Sri Lanka 280/4 in 41 overs vs Australia (376/9). Need 97 off 54 balls. Chandimal 51*, Mathews 33*
16.15 (IST): Sri Lanka reach 272/4 in 40 overs, need 105 runs to win off last 60 balls. Chandimal (46*) and Mathews (30*) in the middle.
15.51 (IST): Sangakkara is gone! He goes after a slower one from Faulkner and Finch takes a good, diving catch. Sri Lanka 201/4 (33.5) vs Australia
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15.36 (IST): Here's how the fans reacted when Sangakkara created World Cup history.
The moment when Sangakkara made history! The first man to score 3 straight CWC tons. What a player! #AUSvSL https://t.co/2MILtqeE04
- Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 8, 2015
15.36 (IST): Hundred for Kumar Sangakkara! The Sri Lankan veteran becomes the first batsman to score three consecutive centuries in World Cups. It's his 24th in ODIs. Sri Lanka 191/3 (31.2 overs) vs Australia.
15.30 (IST): OUT! Mahela Jayawardene is gone! He was looking for a quick single and took on Michael Clarke's arm at mid-off who rattles the stumps with a direct hit. Jayawardene dives but is well short of his crease. Sri Lanka 188/3 (31 overs)
15.15 (IST): The Sri Lankan run rate has come down since Dilshan's wicket. Sangakkara is in his 80s and has kept his side alive. He has Mahela Jayawardene for company. Sri Lanka 154/2 (26 overs)
14.40 (IST): OUT! Dilshan falls for 62, trapped leg before by Faulkner. Sri Lanka 135/2 (21.3 overs)
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 14.20 (IST): FIFTIES for Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan! Sanga also goes past 14,000 ODI runs. Sri Lanka 106/1 (16 overs)
13.47 (IST): Sangakkara enjoyed the best seat in the house during Dilshan's carnage against Johnson. Fans out there seem to have loved it too.
DILSH444444N #CWC15
- What? (@madhusudhananj) March 8, 2015
13.45 (IST): Tillakaratne Dilshan Takes Mitchell Johnson apart! Six fours off the over. Is the chase on? Sri Lanka 42/1 (6 overs)
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12.45 (IST): Australia finish on 376/9 vs Sri Lanka. Glenn Maxwell's explosive century (102 off 53 balls) after Michael Clarke (68) and Steven Smith's (72) solid stand pushed Australia to a big total. Shane Watson, playing in his new role in the middle-order smashed 68. Sri Lanka now have a mountain to climb.
12.22 (ST): SIX DOWN! James Faulkner is run out for a golden-duck. Australia 338/6 (46.3 overs)
12.20 (IST): Maxwell's blitz ends! He falls for 102 off 53 balls. Australia 337/5 (46.1 overs)
12.15 (IST): Maxwell smashes second-fastest World Cup century (51 balls). What a knock from the Aussie! Australia 332/4 (45.4 overs)
11.58 (IST): Maxwell and Watson are carting the Lankan bowlers all over the ground. They added more than 100 runs already. Australia 300/4 (43 overs)
11.37 (IST): FIFTY for Maxwell! He gets there off just 26 balls and gets there with a six! Australia 243/4 (38.2 overs)
11.25 (IST): That double strike has pleased the Sri Lanka fans in the stands.
LISTEN: A couple of quick wickets for #SL and its fans are making some noise at the SCG! https://t.co/aX5zh065of via @audioBoom #AUSvSL
- Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 8, 2015
11.11 (IST): Double wicket! Sri Lanka have pulled things back! Both Clarke (68) and Smith (72) are gone. First Clarke is cleaned up by a Malinga yorker and then Smith skies a Dilshan delivery to Perera at long off. Australia 177/4 (32.3 overs)
10.51 (IST): FIFTY for Michael Clarke! It has come off 56 balls. Australia 143/2 (28.5 overs)
10:47 (IST): Australia are 135/2 after 28 overs with Clarke approaching a half-century. This is a slow pitch and it has taken two of Australia's best players of spin to get them to a strong position.
10:35 (IST): Fifty for Steve Smith; his fifth in ODIs as Australia reach 114/2 in 25 overs vs Sri Lanka. This is great news for Australia. Smith is well and truly back in form.
10:28 (IST): Australia are 100/2 in 23 overs; this is now starting to become a great platform for the power-hitters to score some quick runs in the latter stages of the innings.
10:22 (IST): FOUR! Clarke launches into that one from Thisara Perera as Australia move to 93/2 in 21 overs. The skipper showed his class there; slightly off length and Clarke was quick to latch on to it.
10:19 IST: Australia are 86/2 after 20 overs. Smith has moved on to 35 not out and shown today why he's one of the most talented young batsmen in world cricket. The great Michael Clarke has played second fiddle so far.
10:07 IST: Australia would be keen to see Smith and Clarke build a big stand here; they have the likes of Maxwell and Watson to follow but one is known to be way too explosive for these conditions while the other has got a brake sooner than he would have expected. Nerves could play a part.
10:00 IST: Smith is playing some breathtaking shots and he's starting to build up a nice stand with Clarke for the third wicket. Australia are 72/2 off 15 overs.
9:48 IST: Australia are 52/2 in 11 overs with Smith looking extremely good and assured. Clarke, at the other end, needs some runs as well to stamp his authority in the side.
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9:40 AM IST: WICKET! What a moment for Prasanna - he comes in and picks up a wicket; that of Finch no less. He deceived the Aussie opener with a slider down leg-side and he's gone for 24. Australia are 41/2 in 8.4 overs.
9:37 AM IST: Seekuge Prasanna, replacing Herath, finds himself in the attack early. Australia are 37/1 in 8 overs and have two aggressive batsmen in the middle. Talk of pressure.
9:34 AM IST: The last time Sri Lanka defeated Australia in a World Cup game was in the 1996 final. The Aussies have won four matches since, including that one-sided final in 2007. This could be an engrossing contest, given the nature of the Sydney pitch.
9:30 AM IST: First bowling change. Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews brings himself in to the attack with Australia on 34/1 in 7 overs.
9:25 AM IST: Smith got off to a nice start with a boundary off Malinga while Finch showed he would not be scared of taking on Senanayake. Australia 32/1 in 6 overs.
9:20 AM IST: Watson is back in the side but it's Steve Smith who has walked in at No.3. Rightly so after his 95 against Afghanistan in the previous match.
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9:19 AM IST: WICKET! Big blow for Australia. David Warner has fallen to Malinga, who took the pace off his length delivery. All that Warner could do was push meekly at extra-cover. Australia 19/1 in 4.2 overs
9:14 AM IST: FOUR! Warner steps down the line and whacks Senanayake to the fence. He appears to be a little slower in the air after having reworked his action. Australia 19/0 in four overs.
9:05 AM IST: Sri Lanka have bowled two good, tight bowlers. Malinga gave away just four in his first while Senanayake, who was cleared soon before the World Cup over a suspect action, also conceded 4. Australia 8/0 in 2 overs
8:30 AM IST: Australia win the toss, opt to bat vs Sri Lanka. The Aussies have recalled Shane Watson in the side. Also, Xavier Doherty gets a ball. Sri Lanka will miss the injured Herath on an SCG pitch that is expected to turn.
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As it stands
With three wins in four matches, Sri Lanka have six points and are in second spot while Australia have five points from four games and sit at the third spot.
Australia, Sri Lanka Jostle for Second Spot
With New Zealand comfortably perched at the top of the group table, co-hosts Australia and 1996 champions Sri Lanka are now fighting it out for a possible second-place finish and avoid a last-eight collision with South Africa. (Read more)
Injury haunts Australia and Sri Lanka ahead of crunch clash
Sri Lanka will be forced to make at least two changes as Rangana Herath and Dimuth Karunaratne will be unavailable. For Australia, Pat Cummins has been ruled out due to a side strain.
Sri Lanka peaking at the right time: Mathews
"Coming into the World Cup no one really gave us a chance," Mathews told reporters on Saturday.
"We had a pretty poor series against New Zealand. We didn't play that good cricket. But I think we are peaking and I think we're peaking at the right time.
"It's going to be an even contest from the quarter-finals onwards. Whoever plays better cricket on that day will go on to win the World Cup, but we're not looking too far ahead." (Read more)
Lasith Malinga feels Rhythm, not blues, after surgery
Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga believes his bowling rhythm is returning at the World Cup after undergoing ankle surgery in September.
The sling-arm fast bowler has relied on pain killing injections to make it through his matches at the tournament but says he is feeling more comfortable on the field.
The 31-year-old, the only bowler in history to claim three hat-tricks in one-day internationals, said he doesn't expect to play pain-free but wants to be a part of Sri Lanka's bid to win a second World Cup after losing in the last two finals. (Read more)