World no.1 ranked Australia claimed the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka with one game to go as they won the fourth ODI by six wickets at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Wednesday.
John Hastings registered his career-best bowling figures of 6 for 45, Aaron Finch smashed the equal-fastest ODI half-century by an Australian and George Bailey struck his second consecutive half-ton, an unbeaten 90 as the visitors took an unassailable 3-1 lead.
Opening batsman Dhananjaya De Silva stroked the highest score by a Sri Lanka batsman in his maiden innings as an opener in ODIs, 76 off 87 balls to help the hosts post a below-par score of 212. Australia propelled by Finch, Bailey half-centuries comfortably chased down the target with 19 overs to spare despite left-arm spinner Sachith Pathirana striking thrice early on.
Photo Album – Sri Lanka vs Australia – 4th ODI
Earlier after opting to bat first, the 18-year old debutant Avishka Fernando lasted only two balls as he was beaten for pace with an in-swinging delivery by Mitchell Starc which struck the pad right in front of the stumps.
Kusal Mendis nicked behind off Hastings and was given not out initially but the Australian review overturned the decision. Dinesh Chandimal who has been in terrific form throughout the series made a rare failure as he edged behind off a good length delivery by Scott Boland.
After being 31 for 3, skipper Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya De Silva rebuilt the Lankan innings with a crucial 84-run stand. De Silva’s eye-pleasing drives, effortless flicks brought him 9 fours were the highlights of his maturing knock.
Mathews failed to score off 38 deliveries as he slowly reached 28 off 58 balls before a calf injury brought an end to the partnership which was the turning point of the Lankan innings. A few balls later, De Silva top-edged Hastings and gave a simple catch to Finch while attempting a loose pull shot.
Angelo Perera played an awful stroke on when he top-edged Zampa’s short-length delivery as wicket-keeper Matthew Wade completed an easy catch running towards short square-leg. Kusal Perera chipped straight to extra-cover as he fell to the part-time spin of Travis Head. Thisara Perera spooned a simple catch to extra-cover off a short-pitched slower delivery after making an uncharacteristic 25-ball 13 as Hastings picked up his 3rd scalp.
Sachith Pathirana and Dilruwan Perera made crucial cameos of 24 and 18 respectively to the end of the innings to take Sri Lanka over the 200-run line but both were dismissed by Hastings in the same over.
Courageous Mathews came out to bat again at the fall of the eighth wicket on one-leg to smash a few boundaries and give some respect to the Lankan total; he became Hastings’ 6th scalp in the final ball of the innings, caught at backward point for 40.
Chasing a modest 213 runs to secure the series, Finch and captain David Warner brutalized the Lankan bowling to all parts of the ground. Finch slammed 8 fours and 3 massive sixes to equal the fastest ODI half-century by an Australian, joining Simon O’Donnell’s 18-ball mark in 1990.
The visitors raced to 74 off 33 balls before Sachith Pathirana caught Finch plumb in front to take the first wicket and two balls later, Usman Khawaja was wrongly given LBW off Pathirana as the replays showed the ball would clearly miss the stumps.
Sri Lanka was given a slim hope when Warner was bowled by Pathirana as the visitors were restricted to 97 for 3. Sri Lanka could have picked up their 4th wicket on 127 when Travis Head was clean bowled by a Dilruwan Perera delivery which went on with the arm but after a referral made by the umpire, it was proved that Perera had over-stepped, the first no-ball of the series.
Bailey and Head constructed a match-winning 100-run stand for the 4th wicket but the latter was caught LBW by Dilruwan Perera on 40, just 15 runs short of the target but it was too little, too late for the hosts as Bailey swept and reverse-swept his way towards an unbeaten 85-ball 90 which had 11 fours and a six to take Australia safely home.
