Tharanga, Malinga shape Sri Lanka's vital win

Upul Tharanga hit a century and paceman Lasith Malinga grabbed five wickets as Sri Lanka posted a crucial 78-run win over Australia in the third one-day international on Tuesday.

Man-of-the-match Tharanga, playing his first series after serving a three-month drugs ban, passed 4,000 runs in one-day internationals during his knock of 111-run off 139-ball, which contained 12 fours. © AFP

Left-handed opener Tharanga made 111 for his 12th one-day hundred as Sri Lanka scored 286-9 before dismissing Australia for 208 in the must-win match, despite Michael Hussey's fighting 63.

Man-of-the-match Tharanga, playing his first series after serving a three-month drugs ban, passed 4,000 runs in one-day internationals during his 139-ball knock, which contained 12 fours.

"Malinga was good as usual and (debutant seamer) Shaminda Eranga bowled really well," said Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan.

"The first 10 overs were crucial and we did well to see them off. We believed a total of 260 was good to defend and we proved it."

Australia, who won the first two games of the five-match series, were struggling at 52-3 after Eranga bowled Brad Haddin in his opening over and then held a return catch to dismiss Ricky Ponting (22).

Skipper Michael Clarke (46) and Hussey steadied the innings with a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket before Malinga struck a vital blow.

The Australian captain looked set for a third successive half-century before being caught by Mahela Jayawardene at mid-on. Malinga ensured the win when he dismissed Hussey to finish with 5-28, his fourth five-wicket haul.

Lasith Malinga grabbed five wickets as Sri Lanka posted a crucial 78-run win over Australia. © AFP

"We were outplayed tonight," said Clarke.

"Sri Lanka played really well with bat and ball. We have work to do and improvement is needed for the next game."

Sri Lanka were earlier strongly placed at 220-1 after 38 overs but paceman Doug Bollinger (4-42) bagged three wickets in two overs, including those of Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara (49).

The hosts made their best start in the series when Tharanga and Dilshan (55) put on 139 for the first wicket in the day-night match, watched by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and his Maldivian counterpart Mohamed Nasheed.

Jayawardene was the other main scorer with a 33-ball 36.

The Australian bowlers, who set up their team's comfortable victories in previous games, had to wait for more than 25 overs for the first wicket.

Bollinger provided the breakthrough when he had Dilshan caught pulling by Michael Hussey before Tharanga and Sangakkara added 81 in 13 overs for the second wicket.

Sangakkara hit a 37-ball 49 before being trapped leg-before by Bollinger, who got his second wicket in the same over when he had Dinesh Chandimal caught by Clarke in the slips.

Bollinger struck again when he had Tharanga caught behind in his next over.