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Australia emerged winners of the Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series ODI cricket defeating Sri Lanka by 16 runs in another low-scoring thriller today at the Adelaide Oval. Australia won the best-of-three finals 2-1. Sri Lanka missed a tremendous opportunity today. They bowled out the mighty Australians for just 231 and the total could have been less than 200 if Sri Lanka capitalized on the chances given on the field. Their fielding was not at all the quality they are used to normally and they also missed a few crucial catches. Strike bowler Lasith Malinga was more of a liability today giving away too many runs without taking a single wicket. Maybe he has been still reeling under the hammering given by India in their last league match which Sri Lanka lost after amassing 321 runs. Even then, the target of 232 was a modest one, but the pressure of a big final was always there. It has been observed in the last few matches of the CB Series that teams found huge totals harder to defend and low

Sri Lankan top order fired yesterday and fired brilliantly to thump Australia by 8 wickets with 34 balls to spare at the second final of the Commonwealth Band Tri-Series one-day international played in the Adelaide Oval. Thus the never-say-die tigers take the fight into the last of the best of three finals to be played in the same venue tomorrow. Skipper Jayewardene led from the front not allowing Australia to run away to a 300 plus total as in the first final by shrewd fielding placements and bowling options. This was despite two centuries scored by Australia who batted first after winning the toss. He opened his bowling attack with a surprise option of Dilshan—a move that paid great dividends as Dilshan captured one wicket yielding only 40 runs in his 10 overs. Then Jaywardene starred in a match-winning opening partnership of 179 runs with Dilshan who went on to score his second century of the series and earned the Player of the Match award. Sangakkara and Chandimal chipped in n

Sri Lankan lower order turned the match on its head and nearly won it for their country. They were chasing a mammoth target of 322 runs set by Australia in the first of the best-of-three Commonwealth Bank Series finals played in Brisbane today. Sri Lanka started on a brisk note scoring the first fifty  in the seventh over as if trying to emulate Team India’s momentous chase against them on February 28, but down to the seventh batsmen nobody seemed to be as inspired as Virat Kohli on that day. In a huge chase like this somebody had to score a scorching century, but there was not even a fifty from either the top or the middle order. Mr. consistent Chandimal failed too. At 144 for 6 in the 31 st over the match looked as good as over. But Sri Lankan pacer Kulasekara had very different ideas. He set the stadium of fire scoring 73 runs in just 43 balls laced with seven fours and three huge sixes. He found an able partner in Tharanga and between them added 104 runs in 11 overs. When Kulas