PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, 19 March 2003 — Brett Lee produced another fierce spell of pace bowling to spearhead Australia to their third successive World Cup final yesterday. Australia beat Sri Lanka by 48 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis system in their rain-affected semifinal at St. George’s Park.
Set only 213 to win after Andrew Symonds struck a defiant unbeaten 91 for the Australians, Sri Lanka were 123 for seven from 38.1 overs when heavy and persistent rain forced the players from the field. Lee’s early three wicket burst helped ensure Australia continued their unbeaten record in World Cup semifinals after the world champions were well contained by the disciplined Sri Lankan bowlers.
His three wickets also took him level with Shane Warne as Australia’s most successful bowler at a World Cup with 20 in total. After seeing the in-form Marvan Atapattu (14) dropped at cover by Brad Hogg, Lee responded immediately with a delivery timed at over 160 kms an hour which clattered into the opener’s off stump.
Glenn McGrath then claimed the wicket his tidy opening burst deserved with the vital scalp of Sanath Jayasuriya, the Sri Lankan captain paddling McGrath straight to leg gully to depart for 17.
Hashan Tillakaratne (three) and Avishka Gunawardene (one) both edged Lee behind and, when Aravinda de Silva was run out by a superb piece of work by Andy Bichel for 11, Sri Lanka were 51 for five with De Silva departing the international stage for the last time.
Hogg atoned for his fielding slip with the next two wickets and although Kumar Sangakkara and Chaminda Vaas added an unbroken 47 for the eighth wicket before the rain fell, Australia always appeared to have done enough to claim a place in the final.
Earlier, Andrew Symonds defied the Sri Lanka bowlers as Australia were restricted to 212 for seven. Left-arm seamer Vaas again led the attack with three for 34 but it was the Sri Lanka slow bowlers, in particular De Silva and Jayasuriya, who did most to stifle the Australians.
Adam Gilchrist’s six off Pulasthi Gunaratne in the second over seemed certain to set the tone for the innings, but the Sri Lankans soon struck back, albeit in unusual circumstances.
Gunaratne’s first two overs cost 19 runs, prompting Jayasuriya to bring on De Silva’s off spin in the fifth over. De Silva struck second ball when Gilchrist bottom-edged a sweep on to his pads for wicketkeeper Sangakkara to complete the catch.
As the crowd waited for umpire Rudi Koertzen to raise his finger, Koertzen only shook his head as if to indicate not out. Gilchrist, however, was in no doubt and turned for the pavilion.
Australia were two down in the next over, Ricky Ponting (2) undone by a slower ball from Vaas and well caught by Jayasuriya diving to his left at mid off. The wicket took Vaas’ total for the tournament to 21, a World Cup record.
It was 51 for three shortly afterward when Matthew Hayden (20) clipped Vaas straight to short midwicket. Symonds and Darren Lehmann consolidated with a partnership of 93 for the fourth wicket, the stand broken when Jayasuriya bowled Lehmann off the inside edge for 36. The Sri Lankan captain was celebrating wildly in his next over when Michael Bevan edged behind to depart for a golden duck.
Symonds nursed the Australians to the conclusion of their 50 overs, his 91 runs coming off 118 balls with seven fours and a six.
Ricky Ponting said yesterday that after years of under-achievement Symonds is now playing close to his true potential. Symonds was Australia’s batting hero again.
“I’m just happy for Symo that he is playing as well as he is,” Ponting said. “He has been around the squad for a few years and probably hasn’t played as well as he and we knew he could.
“It is great for me to see and for the guys to watch him playing somewhere near his full potential.”
