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Melbourne: A world-record ninth-wicket stand of 132 by all-rounder Angelo Mathews and paceman Lasith Malinga has earned Sri Lanka a famous victory in the first of three ODIs against Australia at the MCG on Wednesday.
Chasing Australia's 239 for 8 under lights in cool, drizzly conditions, the tourists were hopelessly placed at 8-107 in the 26th over.
But the nerveless Mathews, who's unable to bowl in this series because of injury, showed that he can bat with the best of them, smashing an unbeaten 77 from 84 deliveries with no hint of panic and barely a false shot
He received magnificent support from the unlikely Malinga whose tempered 56 included two towering sixes off Xavier Doherty and John Hastings.
Malinga didn't quite make it to the finish, running himself out when the scores were level.
The honour of hitting the winning run went to Muttiah Muralitharan with more than five overs to spare and one wicket in hand.
The result took the gloss off what was otherwise a dream ODI debut for left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty who claimed 4-46 including three wickets in his first two overs.
The 27 year old also conjured a spectacular run out as the tourists lost 4-13 and all momentum in the crucial middle stages of the contest.
That was before Mathews' and Malinga's unforgettable heroics.
Their stand was an all-time best for the ninth wicket in ODIs, surpassing the 126 achieved by Kapil Dev and Syed Kirmani against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup.
Earlier, Michael Hussey top scored with a fighting unbeaten 71 to steer Australia to 239-8 off their 50 overs.
Hussey, who has been struggling for form ahead of this month's Ashes series against England, grafted for 91 balls with just one boundary and 40 singles as the anchor of the Australian innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Only Hussey and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, with 49 off 55 balls opening the innings, looked comfortable against the tight Sri Lankan bowling with Thisara Perera finishing with a five-wicket haul.
Hussey's only boundary of his controlled knock came off his 71st ball faced to reach his half-century.
Australia are bidding to end their five-match losing run in international cricket but set Sri Lanka a reasonable target of 4.80 runs an over for victory in the evening session under lights at the MCG.
Shane Watson was the first wicket to fall when he was deceived by a slower delivery from Lasith Malinga and popped up a leading edge to Chamara Silva for 10 off 20 balls after putting on 30 for the opening wicket with Haddin.
Stand-in skipper Michael Clarke looked to be playing himself in until on 27 he got a thick edge with an attempted cut off Perera and wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara took a diving one-handed catch.
Perera rocked Australia when he snapped up the wickets of Haddin and Cameron White with successive deliveries.
Haddin just missed a half-century when he was snapped up by a flying Tillakaratne Dilshan for 49 and Cameron White was bowled by a beautiful delivery which straightened and crashed into his off-stump for a duck.
The Australians suddenly had slumped from 88 for two to 88 for four in the 19th over.
Hussey saw off the hat trick delivery when he scampered through for a single.
Shaun Marsh put on 67 runs for the fifth wicket with Hussey before he flashed at spinner Suraj Randiv and was gloved by Sangakkara for 31 off 53 balls.
Perera picked up his fourth wicket when he had Steven Smith caught by Sangakkara dabbling at a leg-cutter for 12.
Nuwan Kulasekara bowled Mitchell Johnson off an inside edge for 10 and Perera took his fifth wicket of the innings when John Hastings was bowled for 16 attempting a lap shot to fine leg.
Perera finished with five for 46 off eight overs.
Brief scores
Australia 239 for 8(Hussey 71*, Perera 5-46) by 1 wicket
Sri Lanka 243 for 9 (Mathews 77*, Malinga 56, Doherty 4-46)
Result Sri Lanka won by 1 wicket
MOM Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
