AUSTRALIA v SRI LANKA

At The Oval, June 11. Australia won by 52 runs, but their victory did not gain them many admirers. Facing a total of 328, the Sri Lanka batsmen, most of them short in stature, put up a brave show against the hostile Australian bowlers. They cut and hooked the short balls with marked skill and accuracy, but Thomson caused two to retire hurt. The tiny Mendis was struck on the head when he ducked into a rising ball and Wettimuny played another riser on to his body and now assisted by a runner was hit on the right instep by the next ball. As he staggered in and out of his crease, Thomson threw down the wicket appealing for a run out that was disallowed. Both batsmen went to St. Thomas's Hospital and soon recovered. Sri Lanka never gave up and the captain, Tennekoon, and Tissera like their predecessors, got behind the line of the ball and refused to be intimidated.

Earlier, Turner, whom Laurie Fishlock nominated Man of the Match, hit one gigantic 6 over long on and nine 4's in reaching 100 out of 178 off the fifth ball of the last over before lunch. McCosker played steadily in a profitable opening stand of 173 and later Greg Chappell and Walters put on 117 in 19 overs with a splendid array of strokes against a mediocre attack.