CB Series - Australia vs Sri Lanka 12th ODI, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

The last league match of the CB series, for all practical purposes, is a dead rubber. While the Indians are enjoying their little break before the finals, the Aussies will look to get some good momentum going from this match. Their batters finally found some much needed form in the Sydney encounter and hope that they can build on it before the all important finals. Sri Lanka on the other hand, will aim for a consolatory win.

Australia's Adam Gilchrist vowed his side will fight hard in Friday's tri-series match against Sri Lanka, despite already booking a place in the finals of the competition. Australians will be aiming for an eighth successive one-day win over the Sri Lankans and Gilchrist said here Thursday they were determined to build momentum for the upcoming best-of-three finals. "We've certainly taken the approach that our finals campaign starts now," Gilchrist said. "You could say it would be better not playing the game, to have a clear run into the finals... but we've got this game. If we let that lethargy creep in, we lose momentum. We want to win it, we want to keep building this momentum we've got."

With this year's tri-series expected to be the last under the current format, the retiring Gilchrist said the Australians wanted to end it in style, having lost to England last year. "It would be good to win it. We've got a couple of guys finishing our international careers, we don't have that trophy in the cabinet and it's the last tri-series there will probably ever be," he said. "It's been an integral part in the success of Australian cricket... and indeed the world cricket calendar."

Gilchrist was also unfazed by the latest controversy surrounding Hayden and said he wanted to get back to playing cricket. "Everyone is over it a little bit now," Gilchrist said. "I'm just trying to get on with the finals and play some cricket. I can't speak on behalf of everyone, particularly on their team, and I haven't spoken to our guys about it, but I'm sure everyone is just keen to let cricket get on. There's been a lot on, a lot of issues, I haven't played in too many summers where... there's been any number of issues you could bring to mind."

Jayasuriya, who's had a rather quiet series by his own standards will look to go out with a bang in his last ODI down under. Jayasuriya is still not a certainty in the ODI squad for the West Indies and this might just be his final match. Sri Lanka have really struggled with the bat and have managed only a single victory in seven matches this series, a record they'd like to improve upon before they leave Australian shores.

For Australia, Mitchell Johnson is expected to make a return to the squad while Stuart Clark sits out. Sri Lanka are likely to rest Farvez Maharoof, who's already nursing a side strain. With no rain forecast tomorrow, we can expect a full game. Do join us at 0315 GMT for all the live action.

Australia (From): Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist(w), Ricky Ponting(c), Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, James Hopes, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Adam Voges, Ashley Noffke, Brad Haddin, David Hussey

Sri Lanka (From): Sanath Jayasuriya, Dilruwan Perera, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Mahela Jayawardene(c), Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedera, Chaminda Vaas, Ishara Amerasinghe, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nuwan Kulasekara, Farveez Maharoof, Upul Tharanga, Chanaka Welegedara

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India looking to shut doors on Sri Lanka in CB Series at Hobart

Batting form will be the prime concern for India and Sri Lanka as the two Asian rivals go into the penultimate tri-series league encounter at Hobart on Tuesday.

The Indians, who have lacked consistency, will be looking to defeat the islanders in the game to qualify for the best of three finals tomorrow itself.

In case they lose, they will have to rely on Australia winning the last match and shutting doors on Sri Lanka's chances for the finals berth.

Australia have already qualified with 26 points from seven matches while India are at the second spot with 12 points from six outings. Sri Lanka are at the placed last with six points from as many matches.

"In any case, we would like to seal the match against Sri Lanka and not leave it to the last game between Australia and Sri Lanka. This game is very important for us," said Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the eve of the crucial tie.

Dhoni also hoped for an improvement in his luck with the coin.

"May be I will have a coin from Sholay, where either way you win," said the Indian captain.

He was disappointed with the poor showing of the top order, whose failure was a major reason for India falling short by just 18 runs while chasing the huge target of 318 runs against Australia in the previous match in Sydney.

"The run-making for the top order hasn't been the story till now and it could make things so much easier for the lower order batsmen," said Dhoni.

India's opening pair has failed to give the team a confident start and Dhoni said he would weigh his options and shuffle the top-order if need be..

"We have a few options, (Robin) Uthappa can open with Sachin but the way Gautam (Gambhir) has settled in at number three, I don't want to disturb him."

The Indians had reverted to the four-bowler strategy in the last game and it remains to be seen whether they continue to adopt a similar ploy for the clash at the relatively smaller Bellerive Oval.

Though Dhoni praised the young bowlers' effort on the batting-friendly Sydney Cricket Ground pitch, the Indian bowling on Sunday looked helpless on a few occasions and the bowlers went for a lot of runs. They would be looking for a better show on the field against the troubled Sri Lanka batting line-ip.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said they badly needed to improve their batting to win the next two matches.

"We have to win both the games. If we get our batting sorted out, we have a very good chance," he said.

Teams (likely):

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardena (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Fervez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas.

Match start at 4.30 am IST.

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Lee bowls Australia to victory against India in CB tri-series one-day international in Sydney

Ricky Ponting scored a brilliant century and Adam Gilchrist claimed a record-equalling six dismissals as Australia beat India by 18 runs in an absorbing CB tri-series one-day international in Sydney on Sunday.

Ponting ended a lean run with the bat to score 124 off 132 balls and guide the world champions to a daunting total of 317 for seven at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

India's run chase began badly when they lost four early wickets but a defiant hundred from Gautam Gambhir and a half-century from Robin Uthappa took them to 299 all out in the final over.

India's lower-order batsmen gave the tourists a glimmer of hope of pulling off a remarkable victory but fast bowler Brett Lee (5-58) polished off the tail by taking three wickets in his last four balls.

Gilchrist held five catches and completed a stumping to equal the world record for the most dismissals in a match by a wicketkeeper which he shares with four other players and has achieved on five previous occasions.

Andrew Symonds, who had also been struggling for form during the series, smashed 59 off 49 deliveries while opener Matthew Hayden made 54 as Australia's batsmen went on the rampage.

Ponting had managed only 64 runs in his previous six innings but returned to form in emphatic style.

He belted seven boundaries and a six to register his 26th one-day hundred, overtaking Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya into second place on the all-time list, behind India's Sachin Tendulkar (41).

Ponting also become only the fifth player to score over 11,000 one-day runs before he threw his wicket away in the penultimate over, caught in the deep by Irfan Pathan.

Symonds struck six fours and two sixes in his innings before he was bowled by a slower ball from Ishant Sharma, triggering a verbal exchange between the pair as he left the field.

Ponting and Symonds added 100 runs in 52 minutes for the fourth wicket but their departures triggered a late collapse as Australia lost four wickets in the last three overs.

James Hopes and Lee were both run out at the non-strikers' end off the last two balls of the innings, leaving Michael Hussey stranded on 15.

Gilchrist, playing in his last series before retirement, signalled Australia's intentions to build a huge total when he blazed 16 off seven balls.

Hayden was run out just after reaching his half-century while Michael Clarke chipped in with a brisk 31.

India made a terrible start to their reply when Tendulkar was trapped lbw by Lee for two in the first over then they lost Virender Sehwag (17), Rohit Sharma (one) and Yuvraj Singh (five) in the space of 11 balls, all caught by Gilchrist.

Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni steadied the innings with a fifth wicket partnership of 98 before the Australians reasserted their control.

Dhoni was caught by Gilchrist for 36 then Gambhir was stumped for 113 after an impressive innings featuring nine fours and a six.

It was his fourth one-day hundred and his second of the series but his dismissal left India with little hope of winning despite some lusty hitting from the tailenders.

Uthappa (51), Pathan (22) and Harbhajan Singh (20) all made valuable contributions but sacrificed their wickets in the frantic final few overs as the required run rate crept above 10 runs an over.

Australia are already assured a place in next month's best-of-three finals and India will join them unless Sri Lanka win the remaining two preliminary games. India play Sri Lanka in Hobart on Tuesday before Australia play them in Melbourne on Friday.

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