Consolation win for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka last night beat Australia by four wickets in the fifth and final 50 ODI, with the latter wining the series 3-2.

In reply to Australia’s 211 all out in 46.1 overs, Sri Lanka scored 213 for six in 47 overs. Architect of the victory was Mahela Jayawardena who scored 71 of 119 balls, Chamara Silva in a welcome 63 off 71 balls and Angelo Mathews chipping in with 26 off 49 balls. Upul Tharanga went without scoring whilst Sangakkara scored only 7 and Captain T Dilshan managing 17 runs.

Earlier on Lasith Malinga grabbed a record third hat-trick as Sri Lanka restricted Australia to 211 in the fifth and final one-day international on Monday.

The paceman dismissed Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings and Xavier Doherty in his eighth over to become the first bowler to take three hat-tricks in one-dayers and keep alive his team’s hopes of posting a consolation win.

Australia, who have an unbeatable 3-1 lead, were comfortably placed at 210-5 before losing their last five wickets for just one run, with Malinga doing the maximum damage to finish with 3-35 off eight overs.

Malinga was superbly supported by unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis (3-49) and seamer Shaminda Eranga (2-45). Opener Shane Watson top-scored for Australia with an 84-ball 56, which contained one six and six fours. Skipper Michael Clarke (47), David Hussey (46) and Ricky Ponting (31) were the other main scorers.

Australia lost opener Shaun Marsh in the second over after being put in to bat in the day-night match, but Watson steadied the innings with two useful stands.

Watson added 67 for the second wicket with Ponting and 56 for the next with Clarke before falling in the 28th over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Mendis.

Clarke looked set to complete his third half-century of the series before being caught behind off Eranga.

Australia made two changes from the side that won the previous match by five wickets on Saturday, bringing in pacemen Hastings and James Pattinson in place of Brett Lee and Doug Bollinger who were rested. Sri Lanka replaced seamer Nuwan Kulasekara with Jeevan Mendis.