Sri Lanka v Australia

At R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, February 27, 2004 (day/night). Australia won by 40 runs. Toss: Australia. One-day international debut: W. S. Jayantha.

Another capacity crowd trudged into the sticky Colombo night disappointed, debating whether Kasprowicz had won the match, which clinched the series, or Sri Lanka's middle order had thrown it away. Once again the game was in the balance with 20 overs to go. That was almost exclusively thanks to Sangakkara, who peppered the off side, hit six fours in two hectic overs and rushed to his hundred in 106 balls. Local observers considered it his finest one-day innings. But he chased a wide one and no other Sri Lankan matched his fluency. Needing about five an over, they lost seven for 45, thanks to Kasprowicz finding seam movement, flashes outside off (which gave Gilchrist a record-equalling six catches for the fourth time) and a run-out. Australia had also collapsed. Two exquisite swivel-pulls off Vaas highlighted Ponting's form, so good that his final score of 67 - a fourth successive fifty - was a disappointment.

Man of the Match: M. S. Kasprowicz.