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13.2.06

I figured we would win this one

Well we had to and we did it in style as you can see from this news report. Aussie batsmen on the rampage RAMPANT Australia watched the one-day records – and Sri Lanka's title hopes – come tumbling down at the SCG last night as a crushing victory by the hosts set up a series decider tomorrow. In an extraordinary second final, Australia thumped Sri Lanka by 167 runs after recovering from early trouble and posting its highest one-day total of 5-368, courtesy of a mammoth partnership between century makers Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds. Trailing 1-0 in the finals, a shocked Australia was reeling at 3-10 in the third over before Ponting (124) and Symonds (151) posted a 237-run rescue mission – the highest partnership by Australian batsmen in one-day cricket – and comprehensively dominated the Sri Lankan attack. Spin whiz Muttiah Muralitharan was hammered in his final appearance at the SCG, taking 0-99 off his 10 over’s and claiming the dubious honour of the worst ever one-day figures. On an already forgettable night, things got worse for the Sri Lankans when Australia then rolled their batting line-up for 201 in 36 overs. Only Mahela Jayawardene (50) and Russell Arnold (64 not out) provided any resistance as the tourists' morale and finals momentum from Adelaide ground to a screeching halt and shifted into reverse heading to the decider at the Gabba tomorrow. "To be 3-10 and then go on and get our highest score ever is a testament to the character of this side. It has to be one of the greatest comeback wins ever," Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist said. "Particularly after the momentum we'd given away to Sri Lanka in Adelaide." Symonds broke two bats in a rocket-fuelled 151 off 127 balls, the highest one-day score at the SCG, serving a further reminder of the one-day potency that saw him poll most votes for Australia's best one-day cricketer last week. The big Queenslander was forced to deal with a pushy fan on his way back to the SCG dressingroom, however, fending off a misguided embrace with his bat. There were no reported complaints. Ponting, too, continued his dominant summer in blasting his third century at the SCG this year. The Australian skipper was run out for a duck in the first final but blasted nine fours and three sixes in 127 balls. The 237-run stand between Symonds and Ponting passed the previous record of 234 set by Ponting and Damien Martyn against India during the 2003 World Cup. Both batsmen marked their centuries with enthusiastic celebrations. Ponting survived a controversial moment on 57, when Jayawardene claimed to have caught him in the gully in a low, diving catch but the ball was judged to have bounced. Ponting refused to walk as the Sri Lankans celebrated. After conferring with his colleague, umpire Peter Parker ruled the skipper not out. Given neither umpire's view was obstructed, the officials were unable to call for a video replay and Sri Lanka was fuming. But Jayawardene apologised to Ponting for appealing when a message from the Sri Lankans' dressingrooms informed him that TV replays showed there was no catch. "He came up to me a few overs later and apologised and said 'I'm very sorry, I didn't know that it bounced short of me'," Ponting said. Ponting told Jayawardene: "Apology accepted and let's get on with it." Well Done lads

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