COLOMBO, 28 February 2004 — Fast bowler Mike Kasprowicz grabbed career best figures for Australia in a 40-run defeat of Sri Lanka yesterday to hand the world champions an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series. Kasprowicz snapped up five for 45 from nine overs as Sri Lanka, set a 234 run target, lost their last eight wickets for just 50 runs and were bowled out for 193 in the fourth one-day international.

Adam Gilchrist took six catches in the innings for the third time in his career, equaling the world record he shares with West Indian Ridley Jacobs and Englishman Alec Stewart. Kumar Sangakkara had threatened a Sri Lanka victory with a scintillating run-a-ball 101, his third one-day hundred. But the hosts, cruising on 143 for two with 18 overs remaining, collapsed in dramatic style after Jason Gillespie broke a 65-run stand for the third wicket.

Earlier, Ricky Ponting (67) and Andrew Symonds (53) had topscored for Australia, rescuing the tourists after they had slipped to 62 for three after opting to bat first. Sri Lanka spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Upul Chandana sparked a late-innings collapse taking three wickets apiece as Australia slumped from 201 for five to 206 for nine.

Michael Clarke and Gillespie averted a total collapse, putting on 27 runs for the last wicket on a difficult pitch. Sri Lanka made a disastrous start to their run chase, losing Sanath Jayasuriya in the second over as the left-hander edged a rising delivery behind.

But after initially consolidating, Sangakkara cut loose with a flurry of boundaries, racing to his 11th one-day fifty from just 45 balls. Wrist-spinner Brad Hogg broke through as Marvan Atapattu miscued a lofted drive and was caught at long on.

Sangakkara continued to attack during a 65-run stand in 92 balls for the third wicket with Mahela Jayawardene. But the recall of fast bowler Gillespie into the attack triggered the middle order slide. Jayawardene (25) was caught at the wicket as he opened the face of his bat and Sangakkara, moments after reaching his third hundred, was also caught behind.

Debutant Saman Jayantha lasted just four balls and Dilshan Tillakaratne was run out after calling for a suicidal single. Chandana and Kausal Lokuarachchi rallied briefly, adding 31 in 38, before Kasprowicz cleaned up the tail.

Second Day Abandoned in Bulawayo

Meanwhile, the second day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh was abandoned without a ball being bowled yesterday because of a wet outfield following overnight rain. The first day’s play was abandoned for the same reason. Zimbabwe lead the two-test series 1-0.

Crowd Trouble Will Not Skittle India Tour

Pakistan’s cricket chief yesterday dispelled fears that the forthcoming Indian cricket tour could be called off due to minor crowd disturbances such as stone or bottle throwing. “One stone can’t call off the tour and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed say that both the boards will take into account the seriousness of any incident,” Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan told a press conference in Karachi.

“Crowd reactions are common in cricket and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or Indian players can’t call off the tour unilaterally,” said Khan, who took over as cricket chief in December last year. “It’s a qualitative series (and) has lots of political implications and repercussions at the highest level of the governments,” said Khan, a former foreign secretary and manager of Pakistan team on its last tour to India five years ago.

Khan said surveillance cameras would be used to identify troublemakers. The PCB chief urged fans to match the spirit of the crowd in Madras which gave the winning Pakistan team a standing ovation in the 1998-1999 series.

Pakistan Tour Will Be Mentally Taxing — Tendulkar

Boredom, more than security concerns, will mentally tax India’s players during their tour of Pakistan, according to Sachin Tendulkar.

“It is going to be tough, not easy to relax your mind,” Bombay’s afternoon daily Mid Day quoted the premier batsman as saying in an interview yesterday.

“When we come back in the evening, we will not be able to do things like going to restaurants, taking a walk or just feeling free to do whatever we want. “We will be confined to our hotel and this is going to be the difficult part. You can watch movies, carry good music, get together and hope not to put on weight.”