When Stephen Caroll invited his mum around for a cup of tea one afternoon, her heart leapt with surprise - there was a beautiful woman sitting at her son's dinner table.

Out-of-form batsman Cameron White has been dropped from the Australian one-day cricket squad for next month's tour of Sri Lanka.

Paceman Peter Siddle will have a chance to push his case for selection in Australia's tour of Sri Lanka after earning a late call-up for Australia A's four-day games against Zimbabwe.

A late breakthrough by Victorian spinner Jon Holland left the Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia evenly poised at tea on day two at the MCG.

A 31-year-old heroin addict with extensive driving convictions has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the hit-run death of a Sri Lankan refugee.

Chasing 311 to win, England was struggling at 6 for 159 at tea on the final day of its tour match against Victoria at the MCG.

Victoria lost two quick wickets to be 2 for 65 in its first innings at tea on day three of a heavily rain-affected Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at the MCG.

Queensland has struggled to 5 for 110 on a seaming pitch at tea on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG.

A steady hand from opener Wes Robinson guided Western Australia to 3 for 146 at tea on the opening day of its Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG on Wednesday.

New South Wales batsman Michael Clarke again remained in the dressing room as Victoria closed in on an outright victory at tea on the final day of the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.

New South Wales fought back hard to reduce Victoria to 5 for 108 in its second innings at tea on day three of the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.

Test vice-captain Michael Clarke looms as the key to the NSW first innings at tea on day two of its Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria at the SCG.

Test and NSW off-spinner Nathan Hauritz copped a hammering as David Hussey's unbeaten century guided Victoria to 4 for 211 at tea on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.

Veteran batsman Michael Hussey has backed Australia to push frustration to one side and rediscover "that winning feeling" ahead of its second one-day international against Sri Lanka in Sydney.

Despite being desperate for a breakthrough win in any form of the game, young spinner Xavier Doherty concedes Australia took its foot off the pedal in the loss to Sri Lanka on Wednesday night.

Australia must forget about the upcoming Ashes series and concentrate on getting back to its best form in the one-day series against Sri Lanka, according to vice-captain Michael Clarke.

Australia has inexplicably coughed up the opening one-day international from an almost unbeatable position, with Sri Lanka piling on a record ninth-wicket partnership en route to a scarcely believable one-wicket win at the MCG.

Under-pressure batsman Mike Hussey found some timely form with an unbeaten 71, but Australia was well-held in posting 8 for 239 off its 50 overs in the opening one-day clash against Sri Lanka at the MCG.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat against Sri Lanka in their opening one-day international at the MCG.

Sri Lanka will keep the heat on an Australia side that will be without skipper Ricky Ponting for today's opening one-day international in Melbourne, captain Kumar Sangakkara said.

Travis Birt and Luke Butterworth have produced a steadying partnership to guide Tasmania out of a slump at tea on day three of its Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG on Wednesday.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and paceman Peter Siddle will make their international returns from injury in Sunday's Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka at the WACA ground after being named in the 12-man Australian squad.

After dismissing Victoria for a mammoth 529, Western Australia had battled to 1 for 22 at tea on day two of their Sheffield Shield clash at the WACA.

Western Australia was made to pay dearly for a dropped catch as Victoria moved to 2 for 188 at tea on day one of the Sheffield Shield clash at the WACA Ground.

Champagne and tea flowed this afternoon as two milestones were marked at Melbourne's historic Windsor Hotel.

Three men have walked free from court after pleading guilty to funding the separatist Sri Lankan group the Tamil Tigers.

A Melbourne man has criticised Australia's Customs Department after his friend was held in custody for six days, after her iced tea was mistaken for drugs.

Disciplined bowling by Victoria has restricted a struggling Queensland to 4 for 121 at tea on the second day of the Sheffield Shield final at the MCG.

A 29-year-old tourist from the Philippines has spent five days in custody after Australian Customs officials mistook iced tea for drugs.

Victoria recovered from a dreadful first session in the Sheffield Shield final but are still under the pump going to tea at 6 for 141 against Queensland at the MCG.