Kasprowicz steals the series for Australia

Australia 233 (Ponting 67, Symonds 53) beat Sri Lanka 193 (Sangakkara 101, Kasprowicz 5-45) by 40 runs

On a day of spectacular batting collapses, Australia clinched the five-match series with a 40-run victory. Sri Lanka, set 234, were well set for a famous win, as Kumar Sangakkara scored a thrilling century. However, they suffered a late-innings meltdown, losing their last eight wickets for only 50 runs as Michael Kasprowicz grabbed five wickets.

After Sri Lanka had bowled Australia out for 233, they made the worst possible start as Sanath Jayasuriya prodded tentatively for the second consecutive innings at a rising delivery from Kasprowicz (0 for 1). But Marvan Atapattu - fortunate to have not been dismissed earlier when the ball trickled back onto his stumps - and Sangakkara consolidated against some tight bowling from both Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie.

The run rate started to climb before Sangakkara cut loose with a thrilling assault against Kasprowicz and Ian Harvey. Both bowlers were flayed for three boundaries in one over, and Sangakkara, particularly strong through the off-side, sped to his 11th half-century from just 45 balls.

Ricky Ponting was forced to draft in his slow bowlers, Andrew Symonds and Brad Hogg. Atapattu, stuck on 18 for seven overs as Sangakkara hogged the strike, tried to break free with a lofted straight-drive, but miscued and was caught by Michael Bevan at long-on (78 for 2).

But the loss of his captain did not deter Sangakkara from his thrillingly aggressive approach, and he continued to attack the slow bowlers. Mahela Jayawardene settled quickly and the pair ticked along at a run-a-ball, slowly pushing the required run rate down and creating a headache for Ponting.

After 30 overs, Sri Lanka were well-placed at 135 for 2, and Ponting turned back to Gillespie, his senior paceman, in search of a breakthrough - and it did just the trick. In Gillespie's second over back, Jayawardene tried to run a short ball through the slips, but edged to Adam Gilchrist (143 for 3).

Sangakkara brought up his third one-day century from 106 balls - without doubt his finest one-day innings - but the celebrations were shortlived, as he chased a wide delivery from Kasprowicz and was caught behind (148 for 4).

Sri Lanka went in to freefall: Saman Jayantha, making his debut, followed Sangakkara back to the pavilion four balls later as Gilchrist took his fourth catch of the innings, off Harvey. Tillakaratne Dilshan then called for a suicidal run to Ponting at mid-wicket and was run out by a distance (158 for 6).

Upul Chandana and Kaushal Lokuarachchi briefly raised local hopes, scoring 31 in 38 balls, but Kasprowicz moved in for the kill to earn Australia their first ever one-day series in Sri Lanka.

It was a remarkable turn around from the Australians, who looked to be dead and buried once Sangakkara was in full flow, and after they had been bowled out for 233. The Sri Lankan bowlers immediately gained the ascendancy, taking the wickets of Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn to leave Australia precariously placed at 62 for 3 in the 13th over.

But Ponting was once again in sizzling form, swivel-pulling two magnificent sixes off Vaas early on, and racing to his fourth consecutive fifty of the series. He and Symonds quickly repaired the early damage, milking the spinners for 74 in 90 deliveries. But just when it looked like Muttiah Muralitharan would go wicketless for the third game running, Ponting went back to a fizzing offbreak and was trapped lbw (136 for 4).

Symonds, passing fifty for the first time in the series, pressed on with Bevan, as the pair added 41 in 52 balls before Murali returned for a second spell. Symonds slog-swept him straight in to the hands of Jayantha at midwicket (177 for 5).

Australia, though, were still in a good position as Bevan added 24 in 25 balls with Clarke. But when Bevan chipped back a return catch to Murali off a leading edge for 14, the innings went into freefall with four wickets falling for five runs. Ian Harvey was run out by Atapattu at point, Hogg was trapped lbw for a golden duck, and Kasprowicz edged behind for a duck (206 for 9).

Michael Clarke, with 36 from 32 balls, and Gillespie stemmed the tide, adding 27 for the last wicket. However, it was a job well done by Sri Lanka, but they couldn't finish it off.