Gilchrist ensures solid start for Australia

Having belted Sri Lanka into oblivion last time Australia played them in an ODI, Adam Gilchrist took a more guarded approach at the SCG and guided his side to 2 for 111 after 25 overs. Gilchrist was on 44 and Michael Clarke had 16 after Matthew Hayden got the home side away to strong opening.

It was the retiring Gilchrist the fans wanted to see and there were glimpses of the man who has made five one-day centuries against Sri Lanka, the most recent of which was 149 in the World Cup final. He rocked back to pull Lasith Malinga viciously over midwicket for six and sent Ishara Amerasinghe through and over cover for boundaries.

Not everything went to plan though, and Gilchrist was lucky that a couple of airy shots to the on side fell away from fieldsmen in the circle. Ricky Ponting had no such fortune and his sore back was not tested for too long as he glided Chaminda Vaas to Mahela Jayawardene in a floating slip position.

The loss of Ponting and Matthew Hayden, who chipped Amerasinghe to midwicket, pegged Australia back after Hayden and Gilchrist compiled a brisk 65-run opening stand. Hayden was keen not to play second fiddle again - he received occasional boos from the crowd at the World Cup final when he denied Gilchrist the strike - and dominated the partnership with 42.

He drove Vaas straight for four and clubbed another boundary when he walked at Amerasinghe but he also tested his dodgy hamstring in an embarrassing moment early in his innings. Hayden hoisted Vaas over wide midwicket for what looked a certain four but the outfield was slow after some recent rain and the ball pitched and thudded to a stop a few metres from the boundary.

Hayden clearly thought it was four as he stopped watching the ball and took a couple of steps out of his crease to do some gardening. Had there been a fielder on the boundary Hayden might have struggled to complete a single but the chasing time allowed him to sprint back for two.

Sri Lanka could have had Hayden for 12 when he edged an attempted drive from a Vaas outswinger in the third over. Inexplicably, Jayawardene had already removed the cordon and the chance would have been a sitter for the first slip.

Instead, Sri Lanka let Australia get away after Ponting won the toss and decided to bat on a day when showers were expected to interrupt the second innings. Both teams were hoping for a result following two wash-outs to open the series in Brisbane.