04 July 2004	Sunday	15 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

DARWIN, July 3: Michael Kasprowicz bagged seven wickets and fired Australia to a 149-run win over Sri Lanka on Saturday, wrapping up victory inside three days on a suspect wicket in the first Test of the two-match series.

Right-arm seamer Kasprowicz took seven for 39 from 17.4 overs as Sri Lanka, chasing a daunting target of 312 in a low-scoring game, were bowled out for 162.

Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera put on 79 for the fourth wicket but the last seven batsmen went for only 53.

Sri Lanka coach John Dyson struggled to contain his disappointment at the standard of the wicket.

Sri Lanka lost their first wicket with the total on 23, captain Marvan Atapattu caught at slip by Shane Warne off Kasprowicz for 10.

Man-of-the-Match Glenn McGrath, who took five wickets in the first innings, kept the pressure on with two for 24 from 16 frugal overs.

Kumar Sangakkara was run out for a duck and Sanath Jayasuriya was leg before wicket to McGrath for 16 as Sri Lanka lost three wickets for seven runs at Marrara Oval in the Northern Territory capital.

Going to lunch at 50 for three, Sri Lanka fought back through Jayawardene and Samaraweera before both fell in quick succession midway through the second session.

Samaraweera was caught behind off Kasprowicz for 32 and Jayawardene bowled by McGrath for 44.

Russel Arnold was out six minutes before tea, caught behind off Kasprowicz for 11 with the score 132 for six.

Kasprowicz struck four more times after tea, removing Tillekeratne Dilshan for 14, Upul Chandana for 17 and Nuwan Zoysa for one. Lasith Malinga was out next ball for a duck, caught behind to give Gilchrist his fifth catch of the innings.

Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne took 0-61 in the second innings after his three-wicket haul in the first innings and needs a further eight wickets to break Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan's world mark of 527 wickets.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 207 (D.S. Lehmann 57; W.P.U.J.C. Vaas 5-31).

SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 97 (G.D. McGrath 5-37).

AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings) 201 (A.C. Gilchrist 80; D.S. Lehmann 51; S.L. Malinga 4-).

SRI LANKA (2nd Innings):

M.S. Atapattu c Warne b Kas'wicz 10

S.T. Jayasuriya lbw b McGrath 16

K.C. Sangakkara run out 0

D.P.M.D. Jayawardene b McGrath 44

T.T. Samaraweera c G'rist b Kas'wicz 32

T.M. Dilshan c G'rist b Kas'wicz 14

R.P. Arnold c G'rist b Kas'wicz 11

U.D.U. Chandana b Kas'wicz 17

W.P.U.J.C. Vaas not out 10

D.N.T. Zoysa c G'rist b Kas'wicz 1

S.L. Malinga c G'rist b Kas'wicz 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-2, NB-4) 7

TOTAL (all out, 65.4 overs) 162

FALL OF WKTS: 1-23, 2-23, 3-30, 4-109, 5-113, 6-132, 7-141, 8-152, 9-162.

BOWLING: McGrath 16-9-24-2 (1nb, 1w); Gillespie 13-2-37-0 (1w); Kasprowicz 17.4-3-39-7 (3nb); Warne 19-2-61-0.

SECOND TEST: Cairns, July 9-13.-Reuters