By Cricinfo Report

Sharp Sri Lanka keep Australia to 231

49.1 overs Australia 231 (Clarke 57) v Sri Lanka

	Nuwan Kulasekara's return catch to get rid of Michael Hussey was the best piece of work in a fine fielding display © AFP

A sharp fielding performance from Sri Lanka gave them the upper hand at the WACA, but some handy late runs from Australia's tail ensured they stayed in the game. Mahela Jayawardene's decision to send Australia in was unexpected but it proved a reasonable move as his five main bowlers took two wickets each. Australia's batsmen struggled for rhythm and were dismissed for 231 from the first ball of the 50th over.

Michael Clarke top scored with 57 and had assistance from Daniel Christian during the only half-century partnership of the innings but when the offspinner Sachithra Senanayake broke that stand in the 40th over Australia faced the prospect of not batting out their time. Christian was stumped for 33 when he failed to pick the straighter delivery and Clarke fell in the following over.

He was the victim of an excellent catch by the opposing captain as Jayawardene moved low to his right to snaffle the chance at midwicket off the bowling of Angelo Mathews. Clarke hadn't found it easy to keep the scoring rate up and had struck only four boundaries in his 88-ball stay, but until that moment he had at least provided an anchor for the innings

After he fell, Senanayake picked up his second wicket when Ryan Harris cut straight to backward point and Australia were in trouble at 8 for 192. But Clint McKay and Mitchell Starc provided some useful late runs, especially McKay, who was the last man out. He was caught at deep midwicket off Dhammika Prasad for a run-a-ball 25 after Starc had also been caught in the deep off Prasad, for 14.

McKay had survived an edge behind on 15 when Kumar Sangakkara took the ball in his fingertips low to the ground, but on replay it was clear the ball had touched the ground while he tried to grasp it. That was a rare miss for the Sri Lankans in what was generally an impressive fielding effort, although David Hussey was also put down on 3.

But that was a tough chance: Upul Tharanga at mid-off had to leap into the air and thrust his arm high in order to get a hand to Hussey's lofted drive off Senanayake, who replaced Thisara Perera in the line-up. With the next delivery, Hussey got hold of a better version of the same shot, clearing the long-off boundary on his way to 27.

He became another victim of a fine catch when Lasith Malinga drew a leading edge that was collected well at cover by Lahiru Thirimanne, who had to dive forward and to his left with sharp reflexes. But the best catch of the lot was the one that brought Hussey to the crease, the return take by Nuwan Kulasekara that accounted for Michael Hussey.

Hussey had 23 and had been pulling well on the familiar WACA pitch when he pushed at a fuller ball from Kulasekara, who dived to his right to take a wonderful one-handed catch. Kulasekara had also been the man who gave Sri Lanka their positive start, when he picked up a wicket in the fourth over, when Matthew Wade prodded outside off and edged behind for 1.

Wade was the quiet partner in the opening stand as David Warner played a few shots that encouraged the Perth crowd to think a repeat of his blazing Test hundred at the venue might be in the making. His lofted six off over long-on against Malinga was the standout stroke, but on 34 from 29 deliveries he played on to Mathews, who got a ball to straighten just enough.

Already the Sri Lankans had got rid of Ricky Ponting, who was lbw to Malinga for 1. Ponting didn't look happy with the decision but replays suggested Bruce Oxenford's call was correct, as the ball nipped in and was on a collision course with legs stump until Ponting's pad stopped it.

Ponting and Michael Hussey had been preferred by the Australian selectors to the uncapped Peter Forrest, who will have to wait for his ODI debut. The Australians named an unchanged side, while the inclusion of Senanayake was the only change for Sri Lanka.