Sri Lanka end series on a high; beat Aussies by 13 runs

Sri Lanka humbled Australia by 13 runs to clinch the 12th match of the CB series in a remarkable game that see-sawed rapidly.
Chasing 222, Australia found themselves in a hole at 173/9. However, the last wicket pair of Brett Lee (37) and Nathan Bracken (14) put together a dogged 35-run stand to take them closer to the target.
The equation boiled down to 14 runs in two overs. Sanath Jayasuriya, summoned to bowl the 49th over, castled Lee who went for an expansive pull.
Chasing 222, Australia were cruising after Adam Gilchrist put them right on top with a 50-ball 83.
However, six wickets went for 16 runs between the 14th and the 24th over as Sri Lankan seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Ishara Amerasinghe turned the screws on the Aussies.
The Australian openers, led by a furious onslaught by Gilchrist, sailed their way to 100 in the 13th over.
Gilchrist switched into the kind of mode when it becomes impossible to bowl to him. A pull off Amerasinghe in the seventh over signified the kind of mood he was in.
As if eager to sign off on a glorious note in his final appearance in Melbourne, Gilchrist went about carting the bowlers in this customary fashion, racing to fifty in just 35 balls with eight fours and a six.
He had his share of luck when Muttiah Muralitharan trapped him in front, but the umpire wasn’t convinced.
Gilchrist continued his assault on the hapless Lankan bowlers, using his feet to Muralitharan to take the aerial route. Lasith Malinga, too, couldn’t hit the right length pitching the ball too full and wide.
Australia had sailed their way to 100 in the 13th over, threatening to make quick-work of the chase. Sri Lanka finally got the breakthrough when James Hopes, who was a spectator at the other end, fell for 28 under strange circumstances. The ball just brushed the bails and dislodged it. Replays finally confirmed that Hopes was bowled.