Kusal Mendis’ and Dinesh Chandimal’s valiant half centuries went in vain as a blistering 56 by Aaron Finch and a calmer 58 by Steven Smith helped the visitors chase down a below par target of 228 on a low turner at the R. Premadasa Stadium earlier today.
Australian skipper Steven Smith won the toss and put the hosts in to bat on what looked like a characteristically ‘low and slow’ pitch at the Khettarama. Sri Lanka got off to a terrible start as Aussie spearhead Mitchell Starc beat Kusal Janith Perera’s bat to knock back his off stump in the very 1st over of the game.
TM Dilshan, who is returning to the team after missing the tour of England due to personal reasons, and Mendis steadied the ship with a 42 run partnership for the 2nd wicket. Just as the pair attempted to amp up the pace of the innings, Dilshan top edged a scoop, giving Smith a simple catch.
Mendis was then joined by Chandimal and the pair put on the best partnership of the innings: 79 runs in nearly 18 overs. Both survived run out scares and Mendis was put down by Aaron Finch at the square leg boundary when he was on 14.
Australia were left to rue the missed opportunities as Mendis went to 50 off 78 deliveries. James Faulkner struck twice in the 29th over to derail the Lankan innings however, as he picked up Mendis for 67 and then skipper Angelo Mathews for a duck.
Starc then had Dhananjaya De Silva caught at short mid-wicket to pick up his 100th ODI wicket; he is the quickest to the milestone in International Cricket, beating out Pakistani Saqlain Mushtaq by just one game.
Photo Album – Sri Lanka vs Australia – 1st ODI
Milinda Siriwardene survived a few close calls to put on 41 runs for the 6th wicket alongside Chandimal. Chandimal battled his way to 80, despite taking a hit to his rib cage just after reaching his half century.
Starc was once again the pick of the bowlers for the visitors as he went for just 32 runs in his quota of overs, picking up 3 wickets along the way. Faulkner too used the conditions to his advantage to pick up 4/38 in his 10 overs.
Australia’s chase began in frantic fashion with Aaron Finch wasting no time in spanking Angelo Mathews over the ropes for a six off the 3rd delivery of the innings. Finch’s belligerent mood gave the Lankans cause for concern as the visitors raced to 31 in 4 overs.
Thisara Perera had David Warner caught behind for 8 but Finch continued to take on both the spinners and the medium pacers. He raced to 50 off just 38 deliveries.
Debutant Amila Aponso was brought into the attack and immediately began causing problems for both Smith and Finch. He picked up his maiden international wicket when he had Finch caught at slip for 56. The on-field umpires seemed to be unsure if the ball had carried to Mathews at slip and sent it up to the 3rd umpire, who in turn ruled in the bowler’s favour.
A 49 run partnership followed for the visitors between Smith and Mathew Wade as they milked the bowlers around. Lakshan Sandakan picked up Wade in his very 1st over in ODI cricket as the left hander smashed the ball straight to TM Dilshan at short mid-wicket.
Despite the loss of wickets, the Australians continued to build partnerships, shutting Sri Lanka out of the game.
Substitute fielder Dhanushka Gunathilake held on to two sharp catches at short leg to dismiss Smith and then Moises Henriques off the bowling of Sandakan and Dilruwan Perera respectively and George Bailey and Travis Head followed but the Australians held their nerve to register a nervy win, their 1st on tour.
New comer Aponsu was impressive with the ball, as were the other spinners Sandakan and Perera, however it was simply a case of not having enough runs on the board. Perera finished with match figures of 3/48.
