Sri Lanka win toss and bat against Australia

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and elected to bat first in the dead-rubber tri series cricket one-dayer against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

The Australians have left out opening batsman Matthew Hayden, with skipper Ricky Ponting saying he was being rested after he was officially reprimanded this week by Cricket Australia for calling Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh an "obnoxious weed", which reignited hostilities with the Indians.

James Hopes will open the Australian innings with Adam Gilchrist, who is playing in his last match at the MCG in his farewell ODI series before retirement.

Left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson returns to the bowling ranks, replacing Stuart Clark.

Sri Lanka, who have been disappointing in the triangular one-day series and will miss the finals, included Nuwan Kulasekera in place of paceman Chaminda Vaas.

This is the last match before the opening final in the best-of-three match series between Australia and India, getting underway in Sydney on Sunday.

Australia - Adam Gilchrist, James Hopes, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken.

Sri Lanka - Sanath Jayasuriya, Dilruwan Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Chamara Kapugedera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Nuwan Kulasekera, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ishara Amerasinghe.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS), Tony Hill (NZL)

TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AUS)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)