Cricket: Healy's stability

Australia 337 and 271-8; Sri Lanka 274-9 dec. Match drawn

IAN HEALY and Greg Matthews added 127 for the seventh wicket in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in Moratuwa yesterday to help Australia draw the match and win the series 1-0.

Rain prevented play until an hour after lunch on the final day and effectively ruled out any chance of a result.

When Australia resumed at 147 for 6 - 210 in front - Matthews, on 20 overnight, batted with authority before playing over a delivery and being bowled on 96 by the paceman Champaka Ramanayake.

Healy, who like Matthews has lent stability to the late-order batting, made 49 in 144 minutes with four fours before being caught hooking against Dulip Liyanage.

Liyanage, playing only his second Test was one of the few successes in the Sri Lanka attack, finishing with 4 for 56 while Ramanayake took 3 for 75 and had match figures of 8 for 157.

Australia's captain Allan Border, who scored 106 and 78, was named man of the match.