Hambanthota: Sri Lanka beat Australia by 78 runs to win the third One Day International of the five-match ODI series at the Sooriyawewa International Cricket Stadium in Hambanthota on Tuesday.
Australia won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bat first the in the day-night match. Sri Lanka set 287 runs for Asutralia to chase.
Sri Lanka’s opener Upul Tharanga drove brilliant stocks and scored 111 on 139 balls. Skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 55 while Kumar Sangakkara hit 49 runs.
Lasith Malinga and the debutant Shaminda Eranga did the most damage to the visitors taking 7 wickets among them.
Eranga who was took an important wicket when he claimed Ricky Ponting for 22. Malinga as usual performed his magic claiming 5 wickets including Shane Watson for 5.
Australia won the first two matches of the series in Pallekele and leads the series 2-1.
Sri Lanka and Australia will battle out the next two matches at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 20 and 22.
