By Malcolm Conn
Sri Lanka completed their first whitewash of Australia in a one-day series with a record-breaking 174-run victory at Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Set a challenging 282 to win, Australia were bowled out for just 107 in 24.2 overs on Friday to give Sri Lanka a 2-0 series sweep in a dreadful warm-up for the Champions Trophy, beginning in Pakistan next week.
Australia’s Josh Inglis is bowled.Credit: AP
It was the first time Australia have lost all their matches during nine one-day series in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s previous largest one-day victory over Australia was 82 runs at the same venue in 2016. While Australia avoided their lowest one-day score against Sri Lanka, 74 at Brisbane’s Gabba in 2013, it was easily their lowest one-day score in Sri Lanka, going under the 124 they made at the SSC Ground in Colombo in 1983.
This after Australia took 14 from the first over of their innings, with the recalled Travis Head (18) hitting Asitha Fernando for three boundaries. Fernando fought back strongly to finish with 3-23, while Wanindu Hasaranga took 3-23 and Dunith Wellalage 4-35.
Acting captain Steve Smith top-scored with 29 as Australia lost their last seven wickets for just 28.
Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis celebrates his century.Credit: AP
Smith said the absence of Marnus Labuschagne is not a pointer to the Champions Trophy.
The acting captain said the teams for both matches, which included all 16 squad members, had been chosen before the first game of the two-match series.
“We obviously changed up the two teams over the two games and everyone had a little bit of a run at it,” Smith said after the defeat on Friday.
“We’ve got a good squad. Marnus has done well under pressure, so I’m sure he’s going to be spoken about for that first one-day match in Pakistan.”
Labuschagne has underperformed in Test cricket of late, going 28 innings without a century.
“We were certainly trying a few different things. I don’t think you usually see an Australian team make five changes day in, day out,” Smith said.
“It was about everyone trying to get some time in the middle. We haven’t played one-day cricket for a little while and it was about getting back into the rhythm of it.
“We got outplayed by Sri Lanka. They played really well. Hopefully, we can take something out of it, move forward, and have a good tournament in Pakistan.”
Sri Lanka set up victory with a second century in as many matches when Kusal Mendis made 101 from 115 balls as his side scored 4-281 from their 50 overs after the home side won the toss and batted on a dry and unresponsive pitch.
Mendis’ ton followed captain Charith Asalanka’s 127 in 126 balls with 14 fours and five sixes on Wednesday, which set up a 49-run victory in the first game.
Asalanka had another imposing match on Friday, scoring an unbeaten 78 from 66 balls as Sri Lanka finished their innings strongly.
Australia made five changes from the first loss at the same ground, with Head and Glenn Maxwell returning to strengthen a severely weakened side. Head was rested from the first match, while Maxwell had been ill.
Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates after taking the wicket of Glenn Maxwell in Australia’s ODI capitulation.Credit: Getty Images
Labuschagne and Cooper Connolly were left out along with top-scorer for Australia in the first match, Alex Carey, who made way for fellow wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. He missed the first match recovering from back spasms he suffered in the second Test.
Left-arm paceman Ben Dwarshuis and legspinner Tanveer Sangha replaced Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis.
After the early loss of Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka (51 in 70 balls) combined with Kusal Mendis to build a solid foundation through a 98-run partnership.
Australia used seven bowlers, including four spinners, Adam Zampa, Maxwell, Sangha and Matt Short, but Zampa was the only one to claim a wicket.
Dwarshuis, competing with fellow left-armer Johnson for the Champions Trophy place left vacant by Mitchell Starc, bounced out Madushka thanks to a juggling catch on the boundary by Zampa.
Kamindu Mendis managed just four in eight balls before chopping a slower ball from Sean Abbott into his stumps.
AAP
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