DAMBULLA, 23 February 2004 — Chaminda Vaas bowled a tight last over amid mounting tension as Sri Lanka stunned world champion Australia by one run in the second One-Day International here yesterday.

Australia needed eight runs in the final over to win the match, but left-arm fast bowler Vaas controlled his yorkers remarkably well to concede just six runs, much to the delight of his teammates and a sizeable crowd.

Michael Bevan (24 not out), regarded as the game’s best finisher, required six off the last delivery but could manage only three with a lofted shot as Australia scored 244-5 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 245. The hosts squared the five-match series 1-1, having lost the opening game by 84 runs at this venue on Friday.

Hard-hitting Andrew Symonds (36 not out) threatened to spoil the Sri Lankan party after being recalled by Sri Lankan umpire Peter Manuel, who initially ruled the batsman out. Symonds was given out lbw by the umpire despite edging a Kumar Dharmasena delivery on to his pads. He was then on 10 in a total of 190.

The dejected batsman was returning to the pavilion when recalled by Manuel, who changed his decision following a brief conversation with New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden.

“There was nothing wrong in recalling Symonds because one should play the game fair,” said Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu. Symonds, however, could not change his team’s fortunes despite a couple of lusty blows in the end.

Vaas’s match-winning last over also overshadowed superb efforts from Matthew Hayden (93), skipper Ricky Ponting (69) and left-arm spinner Michael Clarke (5-35). “There was a lot of pressure bowling the last over,” said Vaas, the only seamer in the Sri Lankan team.

“But I used my experience, tried to bowl yorkers and it happened. I just wanted to put the ball at the right spot.”

The Sri Lankan fast bowler had the last laugh on a pitch tailor-made for spinners, finishing with 3-48. Hayden and Ponting adapted themselves well to the conditions to overcome Sri Lanka’s spin threat, adding 148 for the second wicket to raise visions of a victory.

Both the batsmen curbed their strokes and relied more on singles and twos to keep the scoreboard moving, but their team still could not complete the job.

“I am proud of the boys,” said Ponting, who became the third Australian after Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh to complete 7,000 runs during his half-century. “I thought we batted pretty well but fell just short. We bowled and fielded well to restrict their total as they looked set to get around 270.”

Earlier, Clarke grabbed a maiden five-wicket haul to help Australia restrict Sri Lanka on a slow pitch. Sri Lanka were on course for a big total after a 121-run stand for the opening wicket between Sanath Jayasuriya (55) and Atapattu (47) before fumbling in the closing overs.

Clarke led the Australian fightback with late strikes as Sri Lanka lost their last eight wickets for 53 runs in the closing 12 overs. Atapattu initially did the bulk of scoring before being run out following a smart piece of fielding by his counterpart.

Ponting dived to his left to stop an Atapattu on-drive, quickly regained balance and then hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end with an underarm throw to catch the batsman short of the crease.

Kumar Sangakkara (39) and Mahela Jayawardene (38) then added 70 for the third wicket, but Clarke did not allow Sri Lanka to capitalize on the closing overs.

Atapattu was praised for his sportsmanship by match referee Mike Procter after allowing Symonds back to the crease yesterday.

“I thought the way it was handled out there was terrific,” said Procter. “You have to take your hat off to Marvan and his team for the manner in which they accepted the decision. Symonds is one of those players that can win a game with a few blows and it was a big call from Marvan at that stage of the game.”

“The umpire thought through his initial decision and realized he had made a mistake — it was a hugely courageous decision to do what he did,” Procter added.

Atapattu said he had no hesitation in agreeing to Symonds’s return when asked by the umpires. “Our guys knew it was a wrong decision and we didn’t know what to do,” Atapattu said.