Reigning champions Australia booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a 96-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Super Sixes in Centurion today. Skipper Ricky Ponting hit 114 off 109 balls and Adam Gilchrist was run out for 99 as Australia took advantage of Sri Lanka's bungling in the field to hammer 319-5 from 50 overs.
The Sri Lankans were shot out for 223 in reply after express bowler Brett Lee sent captain Sanath Jayasuriya to hospital with a bruised left forearm and then wrecked the top order with three wickets to make it 48-4. Veteran Aravinda De Silva played a lone hand with a superb 92 off 94 balls, but the damage done by Lee at the start made victory impossible as the required run-rate rose to nine an over half way through the innings.
Jayasuriya was hit on the forearm by a 150kmh delivery in Lee's first over and retired hurt for one. X-rays taken at hospital did not reveal a fracture but a chipped bone in the thumb kept him out of the rest of the game. Australia, who carried forward a maximum 12 points after winning all six preliminary round matches, earned four more and found themselves in the semi-finals even before their two remaining Super Sixes games against New Zealand and Kenya.
Filed by Shane Murray
