An Australian batting capitulation showed troubling signs ahead of the Champions Trophy

A makeshift Australian ODI team was thrashed by Sri Lanka with traditional troubles against spin posing major questions ahead of a massive tournament.

The newly announced $3.8 million on offer to the winners of the Champions Trophy could prove beyond the reach of the patched-together Australian ODI outfit with serious batting questions emerging after being spun out in a record loss to Sri Lanka.

Playing in Colombo for the second time in four days, against a team which failed to qualify for the tournament that begins next week in Pakistan, mass changes couldn’t spark a change in fortunes for the reigning 50-over World Cup winners with brittle batting against spin leading to the 174-run thrashing.

Australia’s spinners took just one wicket in 21 overs as Sri Lanka piled on 8-218, before the home team’s tweakers ran through the middle-order of the tourists amid a collapse of 5-4, embarrassing them for the second time in a week.

Sri Lanka's largest EVER ODI win over Australia. Wow.#SLvAUSpic.twitter.com/RIYtLqjBnL

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 14, 2025

Australia was all out for just 107, the lowest total, against any opponent, in an ODI since making the same score against the West Indies 1982, losing the final seven wickets for just 28 runs in the history-making rout.

Captain Steve Smith top scored with just 29 while Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell, who were added as part of five changes to the side which lost the opening match, were all undone by Sri Lankan spinners who took seven of the 10 Australian wickets, having snared eight in the opening ODI encounter.

“Been outplayed in these last two games,” Smith said.

“We keep moving forward, but credit to Sri Lanka, they played well.”

The collapse came after opener Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, installed at number three after Marnus Labuschagne was left out, both failed for the second time in as many games which left the run chase in tatters.

Fraser-McGurk’s selection, and his addition to the depleted Champions Trophy squad, particularly raised eyebrows.

A last-gasp Big Bash score of 95 off 46 balls was another tease from the talented tyro who, outside of that effort, has just one other score above 20 in his past 10 innings, including making just two opening the batting with Short in the opening ODI loss.

The 23-year-old has managed just 56 runs in his past six ODI innings having been preferred to some of the leading run scorers in domestic cricket including former Test batter Matt Renshaw who has become a white-ball force and tops the domestic one-day cup run scorers list with 303 runs.

Glenn Maxwell was bowled third ball. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP)

Labuschagne was left out as part of five changes with Travis Head, Inglis, Maxwell, Ben Dwarshius and young spinner Tanveer Sangha brought in for the final lead-in match before the tournament opener against England on February 22.

Earlier Kusal Mendis scored 101 for Sri Lanka and captain Charith Asalanka, coming off a hundred of his own in game one, made an unbeaten 78, including back-to-back sixes after being dropped in the final over, to mute the Australian bowling attack.

Sangha was brought in for his first ODI since 2023 to help bolster the spin stocks as Adam Zampa again battled for impact.

After going wicketless in the opening match Zampa snared 1-47 from eight overs but was the lone slow bowler to get a breakthrough for Australia.

Australia rolled out 21 overs of spin for a combined 1-129 with Short and Maxwell also used.

The Australians will head to the Champions Trophy without regular captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, who is missing for personal reasons.

Hardie opened the bowling for the second game in a row, this time with Dwarshius after Spencer Johnson was rested ahead of what looms a big role in Pakistan.

Originally published as An Australian batting capitulation showed troubling signs ahead of the Champions Trophy