COLOMBO (Reuters):

It was meant to be the biggest party in Sri Lanka since the national team won the 1996 World Cup, but monsoon rains, a brilliant century from Adam Gilchrist (149) and a rebel air raid on Colombo left fans despondent.

The air attack left large parts of the capital in darkness as thousands crammed around television sets to watch their side slip to a 53-run defeat at the hands of Australia in Barbados.

"Everyone was left confused and depressed," said Abnusha Fer-nando, who watched in a restaurant in central Colombo.

Sri Lanka's capital had buzzed in anticipation in the hours leading up to the World Cup final.

The previous day had witnessed multi-faith religious ceremonies in temples around the cricket-crazy island to bless the national team and pray for victory.

Ghost city

Minutes before the scheduled start of the game, Colombo resembled a ghost city at dusk with empty streets as people packed into bars, public parks, sports clubs and homes to watch Sri Lanka take on Australia.

The party started badly as a tropical thunderstorm left thousands of fans scrambling for cover in the open-air park near Parliament that was showing the match live on a giant screen.

In Barbados, the game was delayed three hours by rain, too.

But shortly after 1 a.m. local time, the authorities suddenly cut power to the city and anti-aircraft batteries opened up on the skies to thwart marauding Tamil Tiger rebel planes making bombing runs on oil industry targets.