Sri Lanka v. Australia - 3rd Test

[Donny]

Lack of fitness ?? Didn't you see him first up the race at tea ?

He was half way through his first ciggy before the rest of the team arrived.

[Donny]

Another bloke in the cloud of smoke in the corner of the dressing room was Shane Keith Warne. No doubt asking for a few pointers.

Boof: "Ya turning it too much mate. Bowl 'em straight, like I do"

Warney goes out after tea and bowls Sangakkara a straight one. Got 'im !! Yes !! Bowled !!

[Donny]

5/219 with 22 overs to go.
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Warney's getting in the groove now. Dilshan is tempted and hits one to Martyn. 6/232.
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The new ball is taken and Gillespie traps Tillakaratne (17) in front. 3 needed.
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Warney gets his third as Zoysa (1) departs, bowled.
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4 overs to go and Ponting goes for Lehmann. Can he complete the fairytale ? Not that over. Two balls hit the gloves but both went to ground.

Warne hits Vaas on the pads. Big appeal ...... YES !! OUT !! 9/248.

Murali to face. Dot. Dot. Dot. 12 balls to come.

[Donny]

Kaspa to bowl the second last over.

Herath to face. Dot. Dot. Play and miss. Close. Hit on the pads !! Big appeal. YES !!!!!

[Donny]

What a finish. What a series. I'm buzzing.

Fantastic cricket. Ponting wins first 3 as skipper.

Aussies become the first team to beat Sri Lanka at home with a clean sweep.

Murali takes 28 wickets. Warne takes 26. Two centuries to Martyn. Two to Lehmann including 153 and 6 wickets in the 5th. Test.
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Man of the Match ... No surprise - Darren Lehmann.

Man of the Series ... No surprise - Shane Warne.
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Warne finishes off Lankans

From correspondents in Colombo - Fox

SHANE WARNE grabbed four wickets in a sensational display of spin bowling as Sri Lanka suffered the first whitewash at home when they lost the third and final Test against Australia by 121 runs in Colombo today.

Sri Lanka, beaten in the first two matches, were bowled out for 248 with just 8 balls remaining in the dramatic last session while chasing a 370-run target.

The hosts looked set to prevent an Australian sweep when they were placed at 2-156 midway through the afternoon session, with Thilan Samaraweera (53) and Mahela Jayawardene (37) batting defiantly.

But Warne changed the course of the match, taking four scalps for 26 runs off 13 overs in the last session which saw the hosts lose six wickets for 62 runs.

He was brilliantly supported by part-time left-arm spinner Darren Lehmann, who lived up to his reputation of breaking stubborn partnerships to finish with 3-42.

Warne finished the series with 26 wickets to take his tally to 517, behind only retired West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh's world record of 519.

His hopes of breaking the record in this match had disappeared after Lehmann's triple-strike.

Warne, who had taken 513 scalps, needed seven in the second innings but his first wicket came after Sri Lanka had lost four batsmen.

He, however, still had the last laugh.

It became a pressure game in the last session as Warne bowled with as many as four fielders close to the bat on a turning track and appealing passionately whenever the ball rapped on the pads.

Australia took the new ball in a last-ditch attempt to wrap up the innings and fast bowler Jason Gillespie soon struck, trapping skipper Hashan Tillakaratne (17) leg-before.

Gillespie bowled just two overs before being replaced with Warne, who turned even the new ball to dismiss tail-enders Nuwan Zoysa and Chaminda Vaas.

Fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz then gave the finishing touches when he trapped Rangana Herath leg-before, triggering celebrations in the team.

Lehmann provided a crucial breakthrough when he had Samaraweera stumped, drawing the batsman out of the crease and beating him with his turn.

Samaraweera, who hit seven fours in his fifth Test half-century, had kept his team's hopes alive of saving the match with a 64-run stand for the third wicket with Jayawardene.

Lehmann struck again when he had Jayawardene caught behind.

Warne had gone wicketless in the first two session before beating Kumar Sangakkara with a huge turning delivery, the batsman chopping it on to his stumps.

He then had stroke-happy Tillakaratne Dilshan (31) caught by Damien Martyn at wide mid-off for his second victim.

Lehmann stole the limelight in the morning session when he got a wicket with his first ball, having Sanath Jayasuriya (51) caught at short-leg by Simon Katich. The batsman hit seven fours in his second successive half-century.

Jayasuriya had survived on 28 when he edged Kasprowicz, but wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist failed to hold on to the chance after diving nearly in front of first slip.

Kasprowicz did not have to wait long for his first victim as he sent opener Marvan Atapattu's off-stump flying with a fuller-length delivery that came in to beat the batsman.

Atapattu added only nine to his overnight score of five.

[couragous cloke]

aussies prove again that they are the best in the world.. what a performance....

Its all about attitude and confidence my friends!!

Something My windies are lacking

[London Dave]

I think ability and heart come into it too, the windies are a rabble.

[JLC]

Luckily Warne was back for this series.

Pity he wasnt around for the Indian series as they probably would have won that as well.

[Donny]

Whilst there's no luck involved regarding Warney, he wouldn't have had a total to bowl at in two of the Tests but for the batting heroics of Lehmann and Martyn (and Langer in the last). Batsmen you say either shouldn't be in the team (Boof) or should have been dropped (Langer and Marto).

Incidently, Lang has most runs, so far, for 2004 - 471.

It's a team, JLC.

[JLC]

If Warne was not there Australia would not have won the series.

Simple as that.

I still think Langer should be dropped as Elliott would do a better job. However one century a series means Langer hangs on to his spot. Martyn made some runs but not before time. Boof was lucky to be picked but justified his spot in the team.

Luckily for all 3 the next series is against Zimbabwe and then Sri Lanka in Australia so should be a smooth run.

jlc