CENTURION - Adam Gilchrist produced a fine display of controlled aggression to reach 85 not out as Australia raced to 156 for one off 25 overs against Sri Lanka in the opening World Cup Super Six match today.
Spinner Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed Matthew Hayden for 22.
Australia, who won the toss, made one enforced change, all rounder Ian Harvey replacing the injured Andrew Symonds. Sri Lanka were unchanged from their last match against South Africa.
* Left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas opened the bowling, single off first over. Gilchrist flicked Pulasthi Gunaratne's second ball, a leg-stump half-volley, for four.
* Hayden pulled Vaas for four, then risked a single to mid-off, Sanath Jayasuriya missing with a throw at the stumps with Hayden in trouble.
* Gilchrist, standing a foot outside his crease, pulled Gunaratne for four. 5th over 11 runs, Vaas bowled a no-ball, a wide and then a no-ball bouncer which went over wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara for four.
* Hayden drove Gunaratne through the covers for four. 31-0, 5 overs. Gilchrist rocked back and pulled Vaas through midwicket, then, aiming square, mis-hit a second pull which still reached the square leg rope, 8 off 6th over.
* Gilchrist cut Gunaratne over point for four, then Hayden drove a full-toss four through mid-on to bring up the 50. 68-0, 10 overs, 11 fours in 10 overs.
* Quicks hit out of the attack, Vaas 5-0-35-0, Gunaratne 4-0-27-0. Off spinner Muralitharan conceded one off his first over, then dismissed the unfortunate Hayden, 22, playing across the line adjudged to have edged to silly mid-off, 75-1, 12.2 overs. Ricky Ponting in.
* Gilchrist 50, 45 balls, 10x4. He hit Aravinda de Silva over mid-on and then for six over midwicket. 99-1, 15 overs. Gilchrist hammered Russel Arnold's spin for six, then swept him for four. 131-1, 20 overs.
* Muralitharan beat Ponting with deliveries going straight on and then spinning away.
* Wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara, after missing the wicket trying to stump Ponting on 16, then missed the stumps again after catching a throw with Ponting, on 35, short of his ground and set to be run out.
* Sri Lanka already tried 7 bowlers by 25 overs, 156-1.
World Cup schedule
Points table
Cricket: Gilchrist leads Aussie charge v Sri Lankans
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