The win comes courtesy a leg bye. Christian angles into the pads, Chandimal can't get bat on the flick, but the ball goes off the pads to square leg, and Mahela scampers through.
Australia vs Sri Lanka, 6th Match at Sydney, Feb 17 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
6th Match (D/N), Sydney, February 17, 2012, Commonwealth Bank Series
New
SL
Full commentary
Right, that winds up our coverage for today, with the series wide open. Here's hoping the second half of the league phase is just as intriguing. Dan Brettig's report is getting updated here, and we'll soon have lots of analyses from our on-field writers. Until the next game on Sunday, this is Nitin Sundar signing off on behalf of the ESPNcricinfo team. Cheers and bye!
Mahela: "When those two catches went down, I wondered if this was again one of those days, but we pulled it back really well. Our bowlers are capable of adapting to different conditions. The slower balls are all about getting it in the right place. We needed a start, I have done opening before, and thankfully it worked today. We knew we had to win today, the bonus point was the icing on the cake."
Man of the Match is Thisara Perera: "I am really happy to play in Sydney, this is my second match here. I am really happy" [He looks it too. Great call from the ABC commentators to reward him for the stupendous show today.]
Ponting: "The pitch didn't have the sort of pace we thought it had, and their bowlers capitalised. Wade's run out was costly. Full credit to Sri Lanka, they bowled and fielded really well, and played their shots in the chase. We thought we could use the seam of the ball and capitalise, but that wasn't the case. Hopefully Sunday is better than tonight!"
The Sri Lankans have absolutely stomped Australia here. I wonder how much more comprehensive this may have been, if David Hussey hadn't been dropped and Malinga had bowled properly in the death overs. The series is now wide open, and thank god for that. Could have been a complete bore-fest if SL lost today.
Here's the list of Australia's biggest defeats in terms of balls remaining. This is fifth in the list, and is Sri Lanka's biggest win against Australia. And to think the overs were reduced to 41...!
"An innings without runouts .. wow!" Indeed, Anansh.
"If David Hussey hadn't been dropped, there wouldn't have been death overs." Fair point, Sifaan.
24.1
1lb
Christian to Chandimal, 1 leg bye
end of over 246 runs
SL: 151/2CRR: 6.29 • RRR: 0.05
Mahela Jayawardene61 (67b 5x4)
Dinesh Chandimal6 (7b 1x4)
Brett Lee 7-0-42-1
Dan Christian 5-0-32-0
23.6
•
Lee to Mahela Jayawardene, no run
over-pitched on the pads, Mahela flicks straight to midwicket.
One to win.
23.5
4
Lee to Mahela Jayawardene, FOUR runs
Mahela's class is oozing all over the SCG now. Get the covers out. Short ball outside off, he leans back languidly and steers with surgical precision through backward point. I can't explain why the ball went at the speed at which it did. It scorches the outfield on the way to the fence.
23.4
•
Lee to Mahela Jayawardene, no run
slow bouncer, Mahela can't get bat on it as he looks to dab it to third man.
23.3
1
Lee to Chandimal, 1 run
full length on the stumps, Chandimal whips through square leg for a single.
23.2
•
Lee to Chandimal, no run
back of a length, Chandimal jumps behind the line and defends.
23.1
1
Lee to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run
short of a length, nipping in off the seam, nudged with the angle to the leg side for one.
end of over 239 runs
SL: 145/2CRR: 6.30 • RRR: 0.38
Dinesh Chandimal5 (5b 1x4)
Mahela Jayawardene56 (63b 4x4)
Dan Christian 5-0-32-0
Brett Lee 6-0-36-1
22.6
4
Christian to Chandimal, FOUR runs
thumping stroke from Chandimal, shuffling inside the line and pulling with the angle as Christain drops it short. He goes aerial on purpose and picks up four authoritative runs behind square.
22.5
•
Christian to Chandimal, no run
short of a length, Chandimal still can't get the single away as he drops it to the off side.
22.4
•
Christian to Chandimal, no run
Chandimal defends a length ball into the off side.
22.3
1
Christian to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run
angled in towards the pads, tucked to the leg side quietly for a single.
22.2
4
Christian to Mahela Jayawardene, FOUR runs
absolutely glorious. Nothing's better to watch than a batsman jumping out to a fast bowler and thumping him inside out over the covers. Mahela's made Christian look like a spinner there, superb footwork and even better timing.
22.1
•
Christian to Mahela Jayawardene, no run
good length ball outside off, Mahela defends to the off side.
end of over 223 runs • 1 wicket
SL: 136/2CRR: 6.18 • RRR: 0.84
Mahela Jayawardene51 (60b 3x4)
Dinesh Chandimal1 (2b)
Brett Lee 6-0-36-1
Dan Christian 4-0-23-0
21.6
1
Lee to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run
high full toss outside off stump, Mahela droves into the covers for another single.
21.5
•
Lee to Mahela Jayawardene, no run
full ball on off stump, Mahela tries to whip drive through mid-on, but can't find the gap.
21.4
1
Lee to Chandimal, 1 run
pitched up outside off, Chandimal pushes to the point area for a quick single. He's away too.
21.3
•
Lee to Chandimal, no run
short of a length on off stump, defended down the track.
21.2
1
Lee to Mahela Jayawardene, 1 run
Mahela has 50 now. Welcome relief, it's been ages since he reached a 50 in any format. Short of a length, dropped towards covers and the single is taken.
For the record, Girchrist has scored more runs while keeping than Sanga or Dravid.
21.1
W
Lee to Sangakkara, OUT
Sanga's breezy little hand has come to an end. Full length ball angling into the pads, he tries to hoist over the leg side and gets a big leading edge that goes straight up. Easy catch at mid-on.
Kumar Sangakkara c Doherty b Lee 30 (29b 4x4 1x6 41m) SR: 103.44
"Dhoni's next in line for keepers with 10k runs - if he comes up" He will Ravi, but only after 49.5 overs. Sri Lanka take the Batting Powerplay. Lee to bowl.
end of over 217 runs
SL: 133/1CRR: 6.33 • RRR: 0.95
Kumar Sangakkara30 (28b 4x4 1x6)
Mahela Jayawardene49 (57b 3x4)
Dan Christian 4-0-23-0
Xavier Doherty 2-0-18-0
20.6
1
Christian to Sangakkara, 1 run
gets it away off the middle this time, but there is protection at deep midwicket.
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