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Sri Lanka romp into final

Sri Lanka and India will clash in the final of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament on Sunday.

The Lankans booked their place in the title round by trouncing World champions Australia by seven wickets in the second semi-final in Colombo on Friday.

India had entered the final on Wednesday after beating South Africa by ten runs in the first semi-final.

In a match that never rose to expected heights, Australia, batting first, were bundled out for a paltry 162 in 48.4 overs by some splendid bowling by the Sri Lanka spinners.

Sri Lanka replied at a relaxed pace and got the required runs with ten overs to spare.

Marvan Atapattu top-scored with 51 from 113 balls, while Kumara Sangakkara and captain Sanath Jayasuriya made 48 and 42 respectively.

Australia innings

Sri Lanka's spinners toyed with the Australian batsmen. The five of them bowled 40 of the 49 overs and claimed seven wickets between themselves, with champion off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan expectedly being the most successful with three scalps.

In a line-up boasting of such destructive batsmen as Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Michael Bevan, it was leg- spinner Shane Warne who emerged the top-scorer for Australia.

Warne made 36 and added a valuable 46 runs for the eighth wicket with Brett Lee after Australia, who had elected to bat, crashed to 107 for seven by the 33rd over.

Gilchrist, who made 31 runs, and Hayden (13) put on 48 runs in the first six overs in characteristic flamboyant fashion before Aravinda DeSilva arrived in an unlikely role of a strike bowler in the seventh over itself.

DeSilva conceded just nine runs in his first nine overs and also dismissed dangerman Hayden in his first over to put the brakes on the Australian scoring. Hayden came charging down to the bowler but missed the line and was clean bowled after making 13 runs. He finished with figures of 1 for 16 off 10 overs.

That was the start of a surprising decline for Australia, who suffered a collapse and lost wickets at regular intervals.

Gilchrist followed his partner in the pavilion just two balls later, being caught by Marvan Atapattu off Kumar Dharmasena in the seventh over.

Chaminda Vaas then trapped captain Ricky Ponting leg before wicket to reduce Australia to 56 for 3. Just one run was added before new man Darren Lehmann was run out without scoring.

The unexpected course of the match forced the Australian batsmen on the defensive. Damien Martyn and Michael Bevan slowly took the score to 96 in the 25th over before Martyn was the second man to be run-out. He made 28 runs off 47 balls.

Bevan followed just one run later, caught by Russel Arnold off Dharmasena.

Six down for 97 at the half-way stage, Australia were clearly looking down the barrel. Muralitharan gave them another jolt by sending back Shane Watson before Warne and Lee started their resistance.

The duo batted for 14 overs while adding 46 runs before Lee was clean bowled by a quicker delivery from Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya.

Warne lofted Muralitharan for a boundary before the bowler sent back both him and Glenn McGrath off successive balls in the 49th over.

Sri Lanka innings

Defending such a small total was always going to be difficult but Australia began well with McGrath and Gillespie producing fiery opening spells.

But once Jayasuriya and Atapattu saw them off, Sri Lanka's victory looked assured. With the pitch aiding the spinners, Australia fell back on their ace bowler Shane Warne, and he did not disappoint them.

In a fine spell of ten overs, he got rid of Jayasuriya with a beautiful straighter delivery and conceded just 25 runs. But that was not enough. He did not have enough support from the other side where Brett Lee went for a lot of runs.

Australia tried Lehmann's gentle spin but that was of no use as the Sri Lankans batted comfortably to reach their target.

Sangakkara's was the most attractive knock, his 48 coming off 63 balls with six boundaries.

Atapattu made 51 off 113 deliveries while Jayasuriya struck six fours in a 51-ball 42.

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