Sri Lanka vs Australia, 5th ODI Highlights: Australia Beat Sri Lanka By 4 Wickets; SL Win Series 3-2
Sri Lanka vs Australia 5th ODI: Team effort helped Australia register a consolation win against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka vs Australia, 5th ODI Highlights: Australia on Friday defeated Sri Lanka by 4 wickets in the fifth and final ODI between the sides at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The win helped the guests end the already lost series 2-3. It was Australian bowlers who shone on the day to bowl out Sri Lanka for a paltry sum of 160. Chamika Karunaratne hit his maiden half-century and his run-a-ball 75 was the only saving grace for the hosts as the rest of the batters failed to get going. Josh Hazlewood, Matthew Kuhnemann and Pat Cummins took two wickets each, while Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green shared one scalp apiece. During the chase, the Aussies were struggling at 50/3 but Alex Carey's unbeaten 45 helped them reach home comfortably. Dunith Wellalage was the pick of the bowlers for Sri Lanka with figures of 3/42, while Maheesh Theekshana returned 2/26. (SCORECARD)
Here are the Playing XIs of the sides:
Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Dasun Shanaka (c), Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (capt), Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk) Glen Maxwell, Cameron Green, Pat Cummins, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood
Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
SL vs AUS, 5th ODI Live
We are back for the chase! David Warner and Aaron Finch will open the batting for Australia. Chamika Karunaratne will begin the proceedings with the ball. Let's go!
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Right then! Sri Lanka have posted a below-par total here, and they face an uphill task from here. The pitch is assisting the spinners, and we know dangerous their spin attack is. Can they do something special here? We will find out. Stay tuned for the second essay.
The full innings of Sri Lanka only belonged to one man out there, Chamika Karunaratne! If it was not for him, the hosts would have been bundled out for below a hundred. After losing the openers, and Dinesh Chandimal in quick succession, Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis did try to steady the ship. They put together just over 20 runs and were in the process of doing some damage work. But unfortunately, both were dismissed in the same over and it all went downhill for them from there on. From him beings 56 for 3 they fell to 85 for 8 within the next 10 overs. Most of the wickets for Sri Lanka were due to poor shot selections, and run outs. Post that, Chamika Karunaratne and Pramod Madushan stitched a partnership of 58 and guided Sri Lanka over 140. Chamika Karunaratne was the aggressor in that knock, he notched his maiden half-ton, while Pramod Madushan played the perfect role of the second fiddle. Chamika Karunaratne scored a total of 75 runs and took Sri Lanka to 160. He has given the bowlers something to bowl at now.
After being asked to bowl first, Australia started off really well. Josh Hazlewood made sure they got the early inroads and put Sri Lanka under the pump early in the innings. The other bowlers capitalized on the start and grabbed wickets at regular intervals. They took 8 wickets for 85 runs and put Sri Lanka under immense pressure. However, post that the 9th wicket partnership started to frustrate them. As result, Sri Lanka crossed the 140-mark. Nevertheless, it's still been an exhilarating bowling show from the visitors and they have a golden opportunity here to end the ODI series with a victory.
It's been an exemplary recovery from Sri Lanka! The way wickets were tumbling, a target of 100 was looking tough for the hosts. But they have done a fine job to reach the 160-mark and set a respectable total. All, thanks to Chamika Karunaratne. He has given Sri Lanka something to fight with. Australia though will be a tad disappointed giving away those runs towards the end. Still, they would be the happier side going into the break.
OUT! TAKEN! Finally, Chamika Karunaratne mistimes one and it brings his end and also the end of the Sri Lankan innings. Pat Cummins digs it in short but takes the pace off the ball and angles it onto the body. Karunaratne tries to take it on and swings across the line. Karunaratne gets a top edge and the ball is skied around the leg gully region. The keeper Alex Carey calls for it early and settles under it nicely to take the catch. A brilliant, brilliant innings from Karunaratne comes to an end. Pat Cummins gets his second wicket and Sri Lanka have been bundled out for 160!
Pat Cummins is back on!
On a length and around off, this is played towards cover-point. 14 runs came off that over!
Flighted ball, on off, Maheesh Theekshana strides forward and defends it out.
Around middle, this is pushed back towards the bowler.
Full and straight, this is wristed through mid-wicket for a single.
SIX! BANG! Short and around off, Chamika Karunaratne gets down on one knee and pulls it all the way over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie. Marnus Labuschagne is receiving some real stick here.
WIDE! Marnus Labuschagne tries to push it wider but spills it beyond the tramline outside off.
SIX! Tossed up, on off stump and turning away. Chamika Karunaratne backs away and frees his arms to launch it back over the bowler's head for a maximum. Sri Lanka have gone past 150!
An attempted slower bumper, around leg stump. Maheesh Theekshana sits under it and no wide is called.
WIDE! Cameron Green comes from 'round the wicket for the final delivery, trying to attack the batter's ribs but spills it down leg. Wided.
This is banged in short and over the stumps, Maheesh Theekshana ducks under it.
Just a bit too straight from Cameron Green and Theekshana flicks it past the man at short leg for a couple of runs.
Slightly fuller and slanted into off, solidly kept out by Theekshana.