Gilchrist sets final alight

Adam Gilchrist lived up to his billing as the most dangerous one-day international batsman in the game with a record-breaking 149 as Australia piled up 281 for four against Sri Lanka in the World Cup final at Kensington Oval here Saturday.

In reply, Sri Lanka managed to post 18-1 in five overs. The ever-dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya (4) and Kumar Sangakkara (6) were the unbeaten men at the crease. Upal Tharanga had fallen victim to a Gilchrist catch off the bowling of Nathan Bracken.

Gilchrist’s effort was the highest individual innings in a final, surpassing the 140 not out made by Australia captain Ricky Ponting against India in Johannesburg four years ago.

In all, Gilchrist faced just 104 balls with eight sixes and 13 fours as Australia set a daunting target in a match reduced to 38 overs a side because of rain.

Gilchrist, dropped on 31, and fellow left-hander Matthew Hayden’s stand of 172 was a new first-wicket record for a World Cup final, surpassing the 129 shared by England’s Mike Brearley and Geoff Boycott during West Indies’ 92-run win at Lord’s in 1979.

It was the perfect platform for Australia as they set about winning an unprecedented third straight World Cup and fourth in all, having come into this match on the back of a run of 28 unbeaten games at the tournament and 22 straight wins.

Normally economical left-arm quick Chaminda Vaas, controversially rested along with fellow 1996 World Cup winner and star off-spinner Muttiah Muralidaran from Sri Lanka’s seven-wicket defeat by Australia in Grenada on April 16, saw his now maximum eight overs cost 54 runs.

Lasith Malinga, who missed that defeat with an ankle injury, took two for 49 in his eight overs after his first four overs with the new ball cost just six runs.

In Vaas’s second over Gilchrist opened up. He flicked the bowler’s eighth delivery for four over square leg and next ball the Western Australia gloveman drove him over long-on for six.

Vaas, after an expensive three-over spell costing 24 runs, was replaced by fellow quick Dilhara Fernando, retained despite conceding 45 runs in five overs during Tuesday’s 81-run semi-final win against New Zealand.

Fernando, in his second over, dropped a low caught and bowled chance off Gilchrist’s checked drive with the keeper on 31 and Australia 47 without loss.

In total Fernando conceded 74 runs in his eight overs.

Next ball Gilchrist struck him for four through mid-wicket to bring up Australia’s fifty. The ball after was lashed through long-on and Gilchrist immediately topped that with a six in the same area.

Gilchrist then completed a 43-ball fifty with two sixes and five fours.

Off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan wasn’t let off the hook, Gilchrist driving the bowler over his head for two superb straight sixes as he passed his previous best score this tournament of 59 not out against Bangladesh.

The 35-year-old then saw Australia to 100 in just 102 balls by off-driving Fernando for six.

He then swept Murali for a six that soared over mid-wicket.

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene brought back trump card Malinga in a bid to break the stand.

But his first ball back was smashed for six over long-off by Hayden.

Gilchrist then struck Malinga to the same boundary to bring up a superb century in 72 balls with six sixes and eight fours.

Hayden, renowned as a power-hitter and the tournament’s leading run-scorer, was still in the 30s.

Malinga’s fifth ball back did though yield a wicket when Hayden, on 38, drove him to a leaping Jayawardene at extra-cover.

Gilchrist broke Ponting’s record when he went down the pitch to drive left-arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya, the other remaining survivor from Sri Lanka’s 1996 team, for a six over mid-wicket.

Fernando eventually dismissed Gilchrist, the batsman skying to Chamara Silva running round to mid-wicket but the damage had been done.