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Lankans squander their chance
By Aubrey Kuruppu
Australia, on the ropes at quite a few stages in the match, came back strongly when it mattered and held their nerve in the closing overs to run out winners by 27 runs in the second test played at the Asgiriya stadium.

When play started on the fifth day both teams were in with a chance, as Sri Lanka needed only 51 runs and the Aussiess three wickets. Vaas laid about him and the runs started coming fairly easily. 19 had been added in about 20 minutes. When Vaas drove Warne powerfully to Symonds at extra cover. To the utter horror of the visitors and the unrestrained delight of the local crowd, the ball popped out and fell to ground.

Not learning his lesson, Vaas rose to the bait two balls later. A tempting, curling Warne delivery was lofted to deep mid wicket and Langer held on (319-8). Zoysa didn't last long. Gillespie induced on unwise hook and Zoysa gloved it to the wicket-keeper whose third catch this was. (320-9). With eight fielders on or near the boundary, Muralitharan failed away. He scooped a drive over extra cover for four and then was almost undone by Gillespie in the last ball.

Warne bowled what turned out to be the last over of the match. Off the second delivery, the Warne zooter (or flipper) to Lokuarachchi who was on the backfoot missed and was given leg before by Bucknor. Gillespie who bowled better than Kasprovicz with second innings maintained a strangling line, and ended with four wickets. They were thoroughly deserved. Warne picked up five wickets in an innings for the fourth time in the series. When it came to the crunch, the Aussies rose to the occasion while the Sri Lankans squandered their chances through reckless batting.

The Aussies have shown why they are regarded as the best team in the world. Twice they have come from behind to condemn the Sri Lankans to defeat. The Asgiriya curator Lucky Abeyratne should be lauded for the wicket he prepared. It did a bit on the first day and seventeen wickets fell. This set the stage for a memorable game. The remaining 23 wickets fell in three days and a bit. The track was a good one for batting even on the fifth day.

The first day was highlighted by Hayden's gritty half century and some wonderful bowling by Nuwan Zoysa on his return to the test team. Sri Lanka also collapsed to 132-9, and it was the unlikely combination of Vaas and Muralitharan who added 79 for the tenth wicket and put the home team 91 front.

The promoted Gilchrist and the fortunate Martyn made big hundreds to ensure a competitive run-chase. Some of the wickets were thrown away latterly but they ended up on 442, setting a target of 352. Sangakkara played some thrilling cover drives and then succumbed to the spin magician from Victoria. Dilshan played courageously and freely for his 43. However it was Jayasuriya who gave his team a great chance of squaring the series by blazing 131 off 145 deliveries. The Aussies tended to be overly aggressive (even unthinking) in their field placing and gifted plenty of runs.

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