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BRISBANE, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Jimmy Maher blasted a century to help Australia's second-string cricket team crush Sri Lanka by 102 runs in a lop-sided limited-overs match at the Gabba on Saturday.

Maher belted 106 off 113 balls and Michael Clarke made 79 from 84 deliveries as Australia A compiled a daunting total of 312 for eight from 50 overs.

The Sri Lankans, deducted two overs for bowling slowly, managed just 210-6 in reply from their 48 overs after losing their first five wickets for 70 runs.

Russel Arnold scored an unbeaten 86 off 82 balls and shared a 99-run partnership with Jehan Mubarak (36) to salvage something for the tourists.

Sri Lanka were playing their first match since arriving in Australia this week to prepare for the triangular one day international series, which also includes England.

But without their main strike bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, they struggled to contain the Australians, who beat England last weekend and were desperate to press their claims for inclusion in the World Cup squad to be announced at the end of the month.

Maher and Justin Langer gave the Australians a flying start when they smacked 24 runs off the first two overs on their way to a 97-run stand for the opening wicket that only ended when Langer was run out for 40.

Maher and Clarke, both strong candidates to make the 15-man World Cup squad for South Africa, then added 117 for the third wicket at almost a run a ball to put the Australians in firm control.

They both threw their wickets away in the frantic final few overs while fast bowler Dilhara Fernando mopped up the lower order to finish with four wickets, including two off the final two balls.

The Sri Lankans, who play England in Brisbane on Tuesday in their opening match of the series, could not have made a worse start to their reply as their top order crumbled to 70-5.

With the match effectively over, the Sri Lankans used their remaining overs to get in some valuable batting practice with Arnold and Mubarak showing the way in a defiant partnership that offered some signs of better things to come.

SRI LANKA

S. Jayasuriya c Campbell b Williams		 7
R. Kaluwitharana c Symonds b Williams		 8
M. Atapattu b Blewett 				15
K. Sangakkara run out  				22
M. Jayawardene c Hussey b Noffke		 7
R. Arnold not out 				86
J. Mubarak run out    				36
T. Samaraweera not out				 9

Extras (LB-7 W-10 NB-3)				20
TOTAL (for six wkts, 48 overs) 		        210
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-9, 2-22, 3-51, 4-69, 5-70, 6-169.
DID NOT BAT: N.Zoysa, D.Fernando, S.De Silva.
BOWLING: Williams 10-0-53-2 (W-5), 
Bracken 6-0-23-0 (W-3), Noffke 7-2-19-1 (NB-3), 
Blewett 8-1-29-1 (W-1), Hauritz 8-0-40-0, 
Symonds 7-0-30-0 (W-1), Clarke 1-0-4-0, Hussey 1-0-5-0.

AUSTRALIA 'A'

J. Langer run out 				 40
J. Maher c Zoysa b Samaraweera		        106
A. Symonds c de Silva b Samaraweera		  7
M. Clarke c de Silva b Fernando  		 79
R. Campbell lbw b Fernando			 42
G. Blewett run out				  0
M. Hussey not out    				  4
A. Noffke b Fernando  				  1
N. Hauritz c (sub) b Fernando 			  0

Extras (B-1 LB-15 W-13 NB-4)			 33
TOTAL (for eight wickets, 50 overs)	        312
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-97, 2-117, 3-234, 4-297, 
5-299, 6-308, 7-312, 8-312.
DID NOT BAT: N.Bracken, B.Williams.
BOWLING: Zoysa 9-0-63-0 (W-3 NB-1), 
De Silva 10-0-61-0 (W-8 NB-1), 
Fernando 10-0-57-4 (W-2 NB-2), 
Arnold 6-0-33-0, Samaraweera 10-0-50-2, 
S Jayasuriya 5-0-32-0.

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