AUSTRALIA v SRI LANKA

At Perth, December 30 (day/night). Australia won by nine wickets. Toss: Sri Lanka. Ranatunga's decision to bat on a green pitch rebounded badly as Sri Lanka were reduced to 60 for five in eighteen overs, and they would not have reached 200 had the Australians not dropped eleven catches. Ranatunga, whose unbeaten 71 from 106 balls held the innings together, had lives at 0, 6, 14, 20 and 21. Racing to victory at more than 5 runs an over, Australia's batsmen showed less charity to Sri Lanka's bowlers. Marsh batted throughout the innings, putting on 117 in 106 minutes with Boon and scoring 80 from 136 deliveries. Two overs were lost at the start because the groundstaff had forgotten to mark the fielding circles, and later there was a disquieting delay while Channel Nine TV technicians repaired a sound-effects microphone in a stump. After their efforts, the stump stood taller than the rest, with the result that a replacement had to be found. The crowd did not appreciate the delay.

Man of the Match: G. R. Marsh.

Attendance: 22,150.