Sri Lanka injects life into Australia with appalling batting display

• Lose ten wickets for 84 after century opening stand

Batting collapses are becoming too frequent with the present Sri Lanka team that it is now developing into a common feature.

Yesterday at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, Sri Lanka’s batting was in two halves. They were 125-0 in 21.3 overs and 84-10 in 22 overs. Overall, they were all out for 209 off 43.3 overs, after winning the toss and batting first. Australia reached the target quite comfortably winning by five wickets with 88 balls to spare.

To get ahead of Afghanistan, Australia needed to chase the total down before 32 overs, but that was probably the least on their minds, the priority of course was their first win.

Leading Australia’s run chase was Mitchell Marsh who raced to a 51-ball 52 (9 fours) after Dilshan Madushanka had given Sri Lanka a great start with a double wicket maiden sending back David Warner (11) and Steve Smith (0) in his second over.

Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis put on 77 for the fourth wicket to edge Australia closer to victory. Labuschagne fell for 40 giving Madushanka his third wicket of the innings, but Inglis under pressure for his selection over Alex Carey put Australian minds at ease with an enjoyable knock of 58 off 59 balls (5 fours, 1 six) before falling to Dunith Wellalage. Glenn Maxwell (31* off 21 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) and Marcus Stoinis (20* off 10 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) saw Australia across the line with Stoinis ending the match with a six.     

Openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera scored half-centuries, but after Australian captain Pat Cummins had removed both of them, the rest of the batting simply lost its way and folded up tamely with wickets falling like ninepins. Only Charith Asalanka got into double figures.

It was a pretty tame display of batting that would not have done the Sri Lankan camp any good to their confidence in this ongoing World Cup where they were left still chasing their first win after three matches. Australia who also came to the match with two back-to-back defeats, had the satisfaction of getting their first points on the board.

With Sri Lanka’s limited bowling resources, they needed to put up a total good enough to challenge the Australian batting and also give the bowlers a chance to pick up wickets. They looked in good shape when Nissanka and Perera figured in an opening stand of 125 off 130 balls laying the foundation for it.

But the middle order simply threw away that golden opportunity afforded by the openers and with it disappeared whatever chances Sri Lanka had of pulling off a win. Nissanka continued his consistent form in the World Cup by scoring back-to-back fifties – 61 off 67 balls (8 fours), and Perera returned to form with 78 off 82 balls (12 fours). But as for the rest of the batting it was an appalling display with the two centurions of the last game against Pakistan – Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama both failing.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa who conceded 123 runs for one wicket in Australia’s first two games came roaring back into form capturing four wickets for 47 to push Sri Lanka against the ropes, and Mitchell Starc rattled the stumps of Dhananjaya de Silva and Lahiru Kumara for Glenn Maxwell to finish the innings off with the wicket of Asalanka for 25.

Sri Lanka made two changes with Lahiru Kumara and Chamika Karunaratne replacing injured Matheesha Pathirana and Dasun Shanaka. Australia remained unchanged.