Melbourne: World champions Australia, propelled by a whirlwind 106-run partnership from Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds, overwhelmed Sri Lanka by 116 runs in the opening tri-series limited overs cricket match at Melbourne's Telstra Dome on Friday.
The out-of-form Sri Lankans, who have slipped from second in the world rankings to sixth, have now won just two of their last 12 One-Day matches.
In reply to the huge Australian total of 318 the Sri Lankas could muster just 202 for the loss of seven wickets in 50 overs.
Sri Lanka's less-experienced batting line-up failed to withhold a full-strength Australian attack led by speedster Brett Lee and veteran Glenn McGrath.
Lee ripped the heart out of the Sri Lankans in his first two overs, bowling opener Upul Tharanga for two runs off the second delivery of the innings.
Fellow opener Jehan Mubarak also capitulated to Lee's pace, caught in slips by Australian captain Ricky Ponting for one, leaving the tourists struggling at 11-2 in the third over.
The visitors did not recover from the early blow, although Michael Vandort offered some resistance with a tedious 48 from 117 balls before he was brilliantly run-out by Ponting.
Sri Lanka bore the full brunt of One-Day specialists Andrew Symonds and Damien Martyn as world champions Australia marched to a formidable 318-5 in their opening tri-series cricket match at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne on Friday .
The pair added 106 runs for the fourth wicket with Martyn smacking 70 off 64 balls and Symonds 66 from 61 to set Australia on the path to a hefty total.
Both hit five boundaries while Symonds hoisted four sixes and Martyn two before the partnership came to a close when Martyn was yorked by mediumpacer Dilhara Fernando, with the Australians 238 for four in the 39th over.
Fate dealt Symonds a cruel hand six balls later with a freakish dismissal after he smashed a straight drive off Mubarak straight at Michael Clarke at the non-striker's end.
The ball hit Clarke on his boot, looping for a simple catch to Dilshan at mid-wicket.
Left-arm speedster Ruchira Perera gave Sri Lanka an early breakthrough, claiming the prize wickets of both big-hitting opener Adam Gilchrist and captain Ricky Ponting.
Gilchrist was the first to go, trapped LBW for 13 after missing an attempted hoist over mid-wicket at the start of the sixth over with Australia on 25 for one.
Skipper Ricky Ponting joined Simon Katich at the crease and the pair added 33 runs before Ponting was bowled, also for 13, after coming down the wicket to Perera.
Katich was next but not before he notched up 60 from 78 deliveries, including five boundaries, and the Australians were comfortable at 132-3 in the 24th over.
It was then that Martyn and Symonds set about ensuring the Australians were going to make life difficult for the Sri Lankans.
At the end of the 50 overs, Michael Clarke remained unbeaten on 45 from just 39 balls with the in-form Michael Hussey on 34 from 29.
Perera was the only one of the Sri Lankan bowlers to keep the Australians in check, finishing with 2-45 off 10 overs.
Fernando and part-time off-spinner Jahan Mubarak were the only other bowlers to claim wickets.
The much-vaunted Muttiah Muralitharan, who had refused to play in Sri Lanka's 2004 Australia tour after being outraged by "no-ball" taunts from the crowd, was again greeted by the same chants in Melbourne.
The Sri Lankans had also missed the opportunity to increase the pressure on the home side when Martyn was caught early in his innings but Chaminda Vaas was no-balled.
Two balls later he made the Sri Lankans pay when he belted Vaas over cover for a huge six.
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