Bracken delivers knockout punch as Oz top table

Bracken took a career-best 5-47 and was named Man of the Match. Retiring wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist scored 61, his 54th half-century, including three fours and one six.

Matthew Hayden, returning from a hamstring injury, hit 42 to dominate an opening stand of 65 with Gilchrist before Hayden fell, caught at mid-wicket in the 13th over.

Chaminda Vaas dismissed Ponting, who caught at slip for nine, as Australia’s scoring rate slowed, leaving the home side at 88-2 from 20 overs in overcast conditions.

Gilchrist, who has made five of his 15 centuries against Sri Lanka, went for one big swing too many and was out lbw to Chamara Kapugedera at 139.

Andrew Symonds (12) chipped a catch to extra cover as left-armer Vaas (2-34) completed a strong spell.

Mike Hussey (10) also fell cheaply, caught at backward point trying to force the pace off the bowling of third-gamer Ishara Amarasinghe (2-66).

James Hopes, pushed down to No 7 with Hayden’s return, made 34 off 29 balls and shared a 63-run partnership with Clarke.

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (0-42) was struck in the face by the ball while diving forward at mid-on in the 48th over. He immediately left the field for treatment and one of his teeth was loosened, but he was able to bat in his team’s innings.

In reply, Sri Lanka started badly when openers Sanath Jayasuriya (7) and Upul Tharanga (10) fell in successive balls to the bowling of Brett Lee and Bracken.

Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jaywardene (6) steadied as they added 39 runs for the third wicket before the skipper was caught behind off Mitchell Johnson, reducing Sri Lanka to 57-3.

Sangakkara continued to anchor the Sri Lanka innings but Bracken struck in the 20th over when he trapped the left-hander lbw for 42 off 41 balls, as the visitors collapsed.

Sri Lanka’s middle-order lost two more wickets in the next two overs as spinner Brad Hogg removed Chamara Silva (7) caught behind, then Bracken had Chamara Kapugedera caught at slip for a duck.

Left-armer Bracken also had Tillekeratne Dilshan (14) caught at long-off to claim his fourth wicket and the paceman removed Muralitharan caught in the deep in his ninth over to end the match.

Scoreboard

Australia: A Gilchrist lbw b Kapugedera 61, M Hayden c Jayawardene b Amerasinghe 42, R Ponting c Jayawardene b Vaas 9, M Clarke 77 not out, A Symonds c Kapugedera b Vaas 12, M Hussey c Dilshan b Amerasinghe 10, J Hopes c Dilshan b Malinga 34, Brett Lee 0 not out; Extras: (2 lb,6 w) 8; Total: (6 wktsin 50 overs) 253; FoW: 1-65, 2-88, 3-139, 4-160, 5-190, 6-253

Bowling: Vaas 10-1-34-2, Malinga 10-0-55-1, Amarasinghe 10-0-66-2, Muralitharan 10-0-42-0, Kapugedera 10-0-54-1

Sri Lanka: U Tharanga c Gilchrist b Bracken 10, S Jayasuriya b Lee 7, K Sangakkara lbw b Bracken 42, M Jayawardene c Gilchrist b Johnson 6, C Silva c Gilchrist b Hogg 7, T Dilshan c Lee b Bracken 14, C Kapugedera c Hayden b Bracken 0, C Vaas run out (Ponting) 18, L Malinga run out (Symonds) 2, M Muralitharan c Symonds b Bracken 11, I Amerasinghe not out 0; Extras: (3 lb,4 w,1 nb) 8; Total: (all out in 31.3 overs) 125

FoW: 1-18, 2-18, 3-57, 4-74, 5-81, 6-84, 7-93, 8-105, 9-114, 10-125

Bowling: Lee 7-1-34-1, Bracken 8.3-0-47-5, Johnson 5-3-9-1, Hopes 5-0-15-0, Hogg 6-1-17-1