Innings Sri Lanka 214 (Asalanka 127, Wellalage 30, Abbott 3-61, Hardie 2-13, Ellis 2-23, Johsnon 2-44) vs Australia
Just three days after the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy ended, Sri Lanka’s batting woes continued at 135 for 8 until Asalanka took over with a flurry in the backend and capitalised on a tiring Australia attack in humid conditions.
Asalanka made 127 off 126 balls, but took his time initially under sustained pressure before unfurling blistering shots around the wicket. He completely dominated a ninth-wicket partnership of 79 with Eshan Malinga, who finished unbeaten on 1 off 26 balls.
Australia are now faced with chasing a bigger total than expected with Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk to open the batting and Cooper Connolly listed at No. 3. Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell are not playing in this match.
Spin was expected to feature prominently on a dry surface, but Australia were rewarded for selecting a seam-heavy attack with considerable movement on offer amid occasional overcast skies.
Sri Lanka’s top order was exposed against the moving ball after Asalanka elected to bat having won the toss. He eyed a total of around 270, but Australia’s quicks immediately found a dangerous back of a length.
Opener Pathum Nissanka hoped to shrug off a double failure in the second Test and started promisingly against Johnson with a drive through point for a boundary. But Johnson readjusted to a fuller length and produced an edge with wicketkeeper Alex Carey taking a sharp catch in his return to ODI cricket in place of Inglis, who suffered back spasms in the second Test. It was Johnson’s first ODI wicket in his third match as Nissanka was undone by minimal footwork.
Having made all the right moves during the Test series, Smith’s gut instincts again proved correct when Hardie was given the new ball ahead of frontline quicks Ellis and Abbott. He dismissed Avishka Fernando at the end of his first over with a back-of-a-length delivery that caught a thick edge and was well caught by Smith at second slip.
Sri Lanka needed Kusal Mendis to stand up and he arrived in form after twin half-centuries in the second Test. He tried to counter-attack, but found Hardie’s awkward bounce and seam movement difficult to counter. In the sixth over, Mendis was squared up by a back-of-a-length delivery and edged past a diving Smith only to then nick to first slip on the next ball.
Hardie continued to impress at speeds around 135kph. He finished with 2 for 9 from his four-over opening spell having only returned to bowling late in the BBL season due to ongoing quad issues.
Johnson claimed his second wicket when Kamindu Mendis’ poor run continued after he chipped tamely to square leg. Long touted as a successor to Starc, Johnson bowled consistently around 140kph and his rearing bounce created headaches for Sri Lanka’s batters.
Sri Lanka had to rebuild with Asalanka scoring just three runs off his first 19 balls faced before whacking Abbott for consecutive boundaries to register the team’s 50 in the 13th over.
But Janith Liyanage succumbed to Abbott with Smith taking another catch in the slips as Sri Lanka had lost half their wickets by the 15th over. Fighting fire with fire, Dunith Wellage got off the mark with a six and raced to 15 off nine balls by thumping Abbott for consecutive boundaries through the off side.
Smith finally reverted to spin but Wellalage and Asalanka played legspinner Adam Zampa with ease in a fluent 67-run partnership. Just when Sri Lanka had some momentum, Smith stepped in with a one-handed blinder to his right at slip when Wellalage poked at Short’s offspin
Fresh off leading Hobart Hurricanes to their first BBL title, Ellis had been unlucky in his first spell but returned with the wickets of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana.
Asalanka battled cramps before giving the smattering of fans something to cheer about when he clubbed Johnson and Zampa for sixes over midwicket. Asalanka hogged the strike, but received solid support from Malinga, whose sole intent was to block the rare deliveries he faced. Asalanka notched his fourth ODI century with a single off Ellis before Malinga scored his first run off the 21st delivery he had faced.
Asalanka’s heroics ended in the 46th over at the hands of Abbott, who wrapped up the innings shortly after.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
