Working on the theory that you `never change a winning plan,' Arjuna Ranatunga sent Australia into bat on another good pitch. The Australian openers set off as though they were determined to set Sri Lanka another monumental chase, the first fifty coming up at a run a ball. Adam Gilchrist was the aggressor, hitting a couple of magnificent pull shots, one of them clearing the boundary, before he holed out at mid-on.

Mark Waugh carried on to his fifth consecutive fifty, scored in typically elegant style, while at the other end pinch hitter Brendon Julian employed muscle power. Muralitharan got rid of the dangerous Waugh whose sweep shot skied to backward square-legand Greg Blewett was having his problems coping with the off-spinner. He was stranded once by a well-flighted delivery, which bounced high and took Romesh Kaluwitharana on the shoulder, but Blewett wasn't able to capitalise on this reprieve. He and the more fluent Darren Lehmann were able to post a half-century partnership, but the run rate was dragged back during the liason and when they were both out in quick succession the Australian innings began to splutter like a badly tuned tuk-tuk.

It never really regained momentum but thanks to some well-timed shots from Damien Martyn, who remained not out, Australia finally scrambled to two hundred and seventy. The spinners had done the hard work in the middle overs and Chaminda Vaas capitalised by improving his figures in the final overs.

However, his figures paled into insignificance when compared to Glenn McGrath. The lanky Australian quickie took a pasting in his first couple of overs, but he continued to charge in and make the ball lift sharply to have theSri Lankan batsmen fending off rather than fetching boundaries. His first victim was Kaluwitharana attempting a slashing drive through the covers but only managing an inside edge.

Shane Warne went on the attack with the arrival of Marvan Attapatu. He placed a leg gully as well as three slips and McGrath responded with a high bouncer, which was followed by a steeply lifting delivery and he edged it to first slip. He then had Sanath Jayasuriya fending rather than slashing and the steeply rising delivery caught the shoulder of the bat and flew into the gully. He repeated the dose when Ranatunga arrived at the crease and with the captain gone for a duck the innings was in tatters.

Fortunately, this match was devoid of controversy, but there was some spillover from the previous night's torrid affair. Only one player, Arjuna Ranatunga, has to attend a hearing with the match referee. I have no problem with Ranatunga attending, but he should have some company. Mahanama and Alec Stewart both deliberatelyshouldered opposition players and cricket can't afford physical clashes. If neither of those two players are reported it makes a further mockery of a game that had got out of control through the ineptitude of the umpires.

SCOREBOARD

Australia: Adam Gilchrist c Muralitharan b Wickremasinghe 41; Mark Waugh c Chandana b Muralitharan 57; Brendon Julian b Chandana 21; Greg Blewett c Kaluwitharana b Jayasuriya 40; Darren Lehmann c Muralitharan b Chandana 40; Damien Martyn not out 33; Stuart Law run out 8; Shane Lee b Vaas 20; Shane Warne c Tillekeratne b Vaas 0; Adam Dale b Jayasuriya 0; Glenn McGrath c Mahanama b Vaas 2; Extras (2lb 3w 3nb) 8; Total: (in 50 overs) 270.

Fall Of Wickets: 1-86, 2-116, 3-135, 4-203, 5-208, 6-223, 7-258,8-259, 9-261.

Bowling: Vaas 10-0-63-3 (2nb 1w), Wickremasinghe 7-0-45-1 (1w), Muralitharan 10-0-51-1 (1w), Jayasuriya 10-0-48-2, Chandana 10-0-44-2 (1nb), Jayawardene 3-0-17-0.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya c Julian b McGrath 12; RomeshKaluwitharana c Gilchrist b McGrath 9; Marvan Atapattu c Warne b McGrath 0; Hashan Tillekeratne c Warne b McGrath 10; Mahela Jayawardene c Lee b Dale 9; Arjuna Ranatunga c Julian b McGrath 0; Roshan Mahanama b Blewett 55; Upul Chandana lbw b Lee 38; Chaminda Vaas c Gilchrist b Lee 0; Pramodya Wickremasinghe not out 21; Muttiah Muralitharan b Blewett 11; Extras (3lb 4w 18nb) 25; Total: (in 41.4 overs) 190.

Fall Of Wickets: 1-26, 2-27, 3-30, 4-40, 5-40, 6-53, 7-143, 8-143, 9-177.

Bowling: McGrath 10-0-40-5 (6nb), Dale 10-2-31-1 (1nb), Julian 5-0-37-0 (8nb 1w), Warne 9-0-53-0 (2nb 3w), Lee 6-0-20-2 (1nb), Blewett 1.4-0-6-2.