Sri Lanka has staged a stunning form reversal to hammer Australia's bowlers, humble its batsmen and humiliate its allrounders in a 79-run victory at the SCG.

Winless in three limited overs tri-series games and coming off the embarrassment of being rolled for 65 mid-week by Australia A, Sri Lanka was ordered to bat by Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who no doubt sensed another quick kill when he won the toss.

The rest defied logic as Sri Lanka racked up 5-343, then dismissed the world champions for a flattering 264 in 49.3 overs.

Captain Jayasuriya (122 from 105 balls) and Marvan Atapattu (101 from 124) rattled up a 237-run opening stand, the highest ever partnership in Australia and the highest for Sri Lanka for any wicket.

Man-of-the-match Jayasuriya then chipped in with 4-39.

Sri Lanka's mammoth total was the largest in history at the SCG and also the biggest against Australia, eclipsing 3-326 made by South Africa at Port Elizabeth last year.

Australia won that match, making an incredible 7-330, but there was to be no repeat at the SCG.

Adam Gilchrist fell third ball for six, captain Ricky Ponting followed shortly thereafter for 15 and the game was all but gone at 2-36.

Matthew Hayden (35) departed at 3-78, Damien Martyn (40) and Michael Bevan (41) put on 65 runs but not enough, Andrew Symonds (four) was caught off an awful shot and Jimmy Maher made 15.

Australia was dead and buried at 8-188 before adding a smidgeon of respectability with two late, meaningless partnerships.

Sri Lanka rolled through the Australian batsmen with absolutely no help from Zimbabwean umpire Russell Tiffin, who refused point-blank to give an LBW decision after criticism for being a trigger finger in the last two Ashes Tests.

One LBW against Brett Lee (20) from the bowling of Jayasuriya was so out the batsman must have been tempted to walk. Even then Tiffin kept his previously itchy finger in his pocket.

Spin king Muttiah Muralitharan had his first bowl since his hernia operation, taking 2-44 from ten impressive overs to take his career tally to 299. Many more will follow.

Jayasuriya and Atapattu were blessed by good fortune. Edges fell into open spaces. Jayasuriya was bowled off a no-ball from Lee on two.

A simple catch off Jayasuriya on 26 was muffed by Brad Hogg at gully, a monumentally costly mistake. Ponting stacked fieldsmen on the offside and still gaps were found to the fence and over it.

Lee (0-41 from seven overs), Andy Bichel (1-70 from ten) and allrounders Watson (2-72 from ten), Symonds (1-50 from nine) and Hogg (0-75 from nine) were treated mercilessly as they attempted unsuccessfully to cover for the injured trio of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Jason Gillespie.

Australia's next match is against England at Hobart on Saturday.

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