REPLAY: Sri Lanka wobble to victory of Australia, chasing a lowly 74

RE-LIVE all the action, as Australia were rolled for their third lowest total in one-day international history against Sri Lanka.

Cameron Tomarchio

@cam_tomarchio

8 min read

January 18, 2013 - 2:08PM

News Corp Australia Network

RE-LIVE all the action, as Australia were rolled for their third lowest total in one-day international history against Sri Lanka at the Gabba.

SRI LANKA WIN BY FOUR WICKETS

They made it look hard, but the Sri Lankans eventually wobbled to victory against Australia at the Gabba tonight, passing the hosts' terrible total of 74 after just 20 overs - but with only four wickets in hand.

Perera hit the winning runs, a square drive off Starc for four to bring to an end Australia's horrible day and give the Sri Lankans a 2-1 series lead going into game four of the five-game series in Sydney on Sunday.

6.58pm AEDT - SL 6/71 (19.2 overs)

WICKET!

These Sri Lankans are really making an easy task difficult for themselves.

Needing just four runs to win, Mendis goes for the hero shot but top edges a pull shot off Starc to McKay at mid-wicket.

6.54pm AEDT - SL 5/71 (18.3 overs)

WARNER DROPS A SITTER!

Mendis skies an Henriques delivery high towards Warner at cover.

The ball must have swirled in the air - that is the only explanation - because Warner barely got a hand to it, needing to make a dive for a ball that would not have landed more than five metres from where he was standing initially.

More embarrassment for Australia.

6.49pm AEDT - SL 5/69 (17.3 overs)

Huge run out chance missed. Big mix up between Mendis and Perera and Johnson at mid-off has an age to throw at the stumps at the non-striker's end but from a fairly side-on angle it was a tough ask.

Perhaps the bowler Starc could have got back towards the stumps in time to make life easier for Johnson.

Perera, who is on 22, would have been the man to go.

6.45pm AEDT - SL 5/69 (17 overs)

Pups brought Moises Henriques into the attack - maybe to justify his selection following his two with the bat - but he's been punished to the fence.

Where is Mitchell Johnson?

Australia's best bowler today has not been used after the break, in a desperate situation?

What is going on?

6.41pm AEDT - SL 5/63 (15.5 overs)

WICKET!

Tharanga flashes at a wide full Starc delivery and Clarke takes an excellent catch diving to his left.

He's gone for 12.

Sri Lanka surely can not stuff this up.

6.38pm AEDT - SL 4/57 (15 overs)

Sri Lanka obviously want to get this over with quickly. Two fours in the first over after the break from Perera off McKay.

6.35pm AEDT

Play to get back under way shortly.

Lots of hate out there for the selectors and the rotation policy, and rightly so.

How are players supposed to find any sort of rhythm - or any sort of consistent form - when they are in and out of the side?

But full credit to Sri Lanka and Nuwan Kulasekara, in particular.

Shades of Waqar Younis about his effort today.

Swung it a mile.

Here we go... Sri Lanka need 27 more to win.

5.51pm AEDT - TEA BREAK, SL 4/48 (14 overs)

And tea is taken, believe it or not. With Sri Lanka needing just 27 more runs to win.

That's 27 runs off 36 overs - but Australia will still think they're a chance.

We'll be back in a bit.

In the meantime, tweet your thoughts on Australia's dismal batting performance to @cam_tomarchio or leave your comments below.

5.49pm AEDT - SL 4/48 (13.1 overs)

Perera looking good, taking Johnson for a four through backward point.

5.40pm AEDT - SL 4/37 (11.3 overs)

Johnson could not have bowled his hat-trick ball any better.

It's a beautiful inswinging yorker but Tharanga somehow manages to block it out.

5.38pm AEDT - SL 4/37 (11.2 overs)

WICKET!

Mitchell Johnson is on a hat-trick after he cramps Angelo Mathews with a short one and the Sri Lankan can only manage to top edge it back up the pitch and Mitchell Starc runs across the wicket to take an easy catch.

A pulse?

5.35pm AEDT - SL 3/37 (11.1 overs)

WICKET!

Great catch from Dave Warner at point.

Thirimanne thumped a square drive, but the Aussie leaped up to his left to pluck it out of the sky.

Johnson gets his second wicket.

Sri Lanka halfway there.

5.26pm AEDT - SL 2/33 (9.3 overs)

WICKET!

Dilshan is gone for 22 after attempting leave an inswinging Mitchell Johnson delivery.

The ball pitched short of a length and managed to find Dilshan's edge on the way to Michael Clarke at slip.

SEE THE WICKETS: INTERACTIVE SCOREBOARD

5.13pm AEDT - SL 1/25 (7 overs)

Another shocking moment for Australia. They go up thinking they have Thirimanne caught behind but he is given not out.

But despite only defending 74 and needing all the wickets they can get, Michael Clarke decides not to review.

Hot spot shows there was indeed a knick.

I don't understand the logic.

5.11pm AEDT - SL 1/21 (6.1 overs)

DROPPED!

George Bailey puts down a very catchable chance at gully that would have dismissed Thirimanne for a suck off the bolwing of McKay.

Nothing going right for Australia today.

5.10pm AEDT - SL 1/21 (6.0 overs

SrI Lanka already more than a quarter of the way there after a beautiful straight drive from Dilshan down the ground.

4.46pm AEDT - SL 1/4

WICKET!

The Aussies strike early - and boy, did they need to.

Mahela Jayawardene is gone, caught by Warner at backward point off the bowling of McKay.

Starc

4.33pm AEDT - AUS ALL OUT FOR 74 (26.4 overs)

Doherty is the last man to go, out to a leading edge off Eranga for 15

Poor performance from the Australians with the bat but take nothing away from the Sri Lankan bowlers who produced a sublime display of swing bowling.

Nuwan Kulasekara was the chief destroyer for Sri Lankan bowlers, claiming figures of 5/22 off his 10 overs, while Lasith Malinga took 3/14 off seven.

Mitchell Starc top scored for Australia with 22 not out.

He and Doherty were the only two batsmen to reach double figures and their last-wicket stand of 34 saved Australia from scoring their lowest ever ODI total.

4.27pm AEDT - AUS 9/73 (26 overs)
Australia have avoided their lowest ever score, with a backfoot crunch from Doherty through the covers for four.

The tail has saved some face.

4.25pm AEDT - AUS 9/67 (25 overs)

Australia within three of avoiding the country's lowest ever ODI score after Starc top edges a hook shot for four.

Much needed runs. That's for sure.

AUSTRALIA'S LOWEST ODI SCORES

70 v New Zealand, Adelaide, 27 Jan 1986
70 v England, Birmingham, 4 Jun 1977
91 v West Indies, Perth, 4 Jan, 1987
93 v South Africa, Cape Town, 3 March, 1986

4.22pm AEDT - AUS 9/63 (24.3 overs)

Another four!

Mitchell Starc responds with beautiful flick off the front foot through mid-wicket for four.

But Eranga hits back next ball, sconning him again with another bumper.

4.18pm AEDT - AUS 9/59 (24.1 overs)

Bit of a scare as Mitchell Starc as Starc is caught off the bowling of Eranga but replay shows ball cannoned off the helmet.

Australia live on.

4.17pm AEDT - AUS 9/59 (24 overs)

A four! Unbelievable scenes.

Doherty joins Starc in double figures.

4.11pm AEDT - AUS 9/53 (22.2 overs)

And an even bigger roar as Starc gets to 10, becoming first Australian to reach double figures!

4.09pm AEDT - AUS 9/50 (21.4 overs)

Huge roar around the Gabba as Australia bring up 50.

What a debacle.

Twenty to go to beat lowest ever ODI score by an Australian team.

4.05pm AEDT - AUS 9/48 (20.1 overs)

Hooray! Australia have at least passed Sydney's temperature today.

A Starc drive for three takes the score to 9/48, exceeding the 45.8 it's reached in the CBD.

@cam_tomarchio how quick can you guys get me from Perth to Brisbane, reckon I could have a crack at scoring at least one run #weakaspeos
— Blake Currall (@bcurrall80) January 18, 2013

3.53pm AEDT - AUS 9/40 (18.3 overs)

WICKET!

McKay goes now. Out for a duck caught behind off Malinga.

This is ridiculous.

3.48pm AEDT - 8/39 (18 overs)

Good news is this won't be the lowest ODI score ever. That dubious honour goes to Zimbabwe who scored 35 against Sri Lanka in Harare in 2004.

But there is every chance they could break the Australian record for lowest score in ODI, which stands at 70.

That was set by two teams: against NZ in 1986 and England in 1977.

LOWEST ALL-TIME ODI TOTALS
Zimbabwe 35 v Sri Lanka 25 Apr 2004
Canada 36 v Sri Lanka 19 Feb 2003
Zimbabwe 38 v Sri Lanka 8 Dec 2001
Sri Lanka 43 v South Africa 11 Jan 2012
Pakistan 43 v West Indies 25 Feb 1993

3.41pm AEDT - 8/38 (16.5 overs)

WICKET!

Matty Wade departs, caught by Dilshan after popping one up to to point off the bowling of Malinga.

Wade made eight off 21.

Up to Starc and McKay to save some pride now.

3.32pm AEDT - AUS 7/35 (15 overs)

WICKET!

Mitchell Johnson is bowled by Malinga and Australia look like they'll be lucky to get 50.

Great piece of bowling from the Slinga, fullish length and swinging it back in.

Johnson played all round it.

3.20pm AEDT - AUS 6/32 (13.0 overs)

Kulasekara's figures so far? 5/18 off six.

And the Aussies have Malinga to deal with at the other end.

Wade and Johnson out there now.

Kulasekara

3.15pm AEDT - AUS 6/30 (11.3 overs)

WICKET!

Moises Henriques is gone second ball for two.

Kulasekara the destroyer again. Quality display of swing bowling.

This one too has come back a mile to clip the top of middle.

Australia have no answers.

@cam_tomarchio and this is supposed to be our "A team"! Very ordinary so far
— Shannon Eurell (@shannoneurell) January 18, 2013

3.12pm AEDT - AUS 5/28 (11.1 overs)

WICKET!

Michael Clarke goes for nine off 26 balls. That is huge.

He could not get going and Kulasekara frustrated him to a point that he went for a very unlike-Pup slog and got bowled middle stump but the Sri Lankan quick.

It's now up to keeper Matty Wade and all-rounder Moises Henriques to save the day.

2.56pm AEDT - AUS 4/23 (7.5 overs)

Wade whips the hat-trick ball off his pads for two.

2.54pm AEDT - AUS 4/21 (7.4 overs)

WICKET!

George Bailey out lbw first ball and Kulasekara is on a hat-trick.

Bailey tried to shoulder arms but the ball swung back a mile and trapped on the pad.

Great bowling. Australia on the ropes.

2.52pm AEDT - AUS 3/21 (7.3 overs)

WICKET!

David Hussey is out for four and the Australians are in huge trouble.

Another great catch, this time by the keeper Perera off the bowling of Kulasekara, diving to his left to take a one-handed grab.

The umpire gave it not out but the Sri Lankans reviewed and hot spot clearly showed the inside edge.

2.42pm AEDT - AUS 2/13 (5.2 overs)

WICKET!

Australia in trouble, losing Phil Hughes now for three off 14 balls.

Kulasekara gets the wicket, and it is a beautiful catch to Mahela Jayawardene diving low to his left in the slips.

2.35pm AEDT - AUS 1/9 (4.0 overs)

Great start from the Sri Lankan opening bowlers Kulasekara and Mathews, giving the Australian batsmen nothing.

Tough battle out there. Both Clarke and Hughes are very watchful.

2.28pm AEDT - AUS 1/4 (2.1 overs)

WICKET!

Dave Warner is gone. Attempting a lofted drive over mid-off, Warner doesn't get a hold of it.

Eranga takes the catch off the bowling of Mathews and Warner departs for four.

Eranga dropped the ball as he attempted to toss it up in celebration but had definitely held the catch long enough.

2.05pm AEDT - AUSTRALIA WIN TOSS, CHOOSE TO BAT FIRST

The "A-Team" is back.

Skipper Michael Clarke, Matthew Wade and Dave Warner return to the Australian line-up.

Fast bowler Ben Cutting has been released to join the Brisbane Heat for tomorrow's Big Bash League final in Perth after Moises Henriques (finger injury) proved his fitness in the warm-up.