Sri Lanka spinner Dunith Wellalage took four wickets to give a hapless Australia their lowest ever total in Asia with a 174-run loss in Friday’s second and final ODI. Chasing a target of 282 in Colombo, a much-changed Australia testing their lineup for next week’s Champions Trophy were bundled out for a meager 107. The spectacular collapse saw them lose their last seven wickets for just 28 runs. “Not the best result we wanted. We used lot of players and everyone got a game,” Australia skipper Steve Smith said. 

“Credit to Sri Lanka. They deserved the series win. We struggled a bit in Colombo… Their bowlers were superb.”

Asitha Fernando set the tone with a fiery opening spell of 3-23 in four overs before the spinners tightened the screws.

Wellalage triggered the collapse, bamboozling Josh Inglis with a skiddy arm ball that crashed into the stumps. In his next over, he delivered another peach, rattling the dangerous Glenn Maxwell‘s timber to finish 4-35.

Wanindu Hasaranga joined the party from the other end to take three more including Smith, who was trapped plumb in front.

This emphatic victory sealed a 2-0 series win for Sri Lanka against the defending world champions and propelled them to fifth in the ODI rankings. 

It also told the cricketing world that Sri Lanka’s absence from the upcoming Champions Trophy, after finishing ninth in the 2023 World Cup, will be felt. 

“Not often you beat Australia,” Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said. 

“Today was our day and the spinners did a superb job,” he added. “We are disappointed that we are not in the Champions Trophy… the important thing is that we don’t get into a similar situation again.”

Sri Lanka’s batting had been under the microscope in recent weeks, but the top order silenced critics with a commanding display. 

Kusal Mendis was the star of the show, crafting a superb 101 — his fifth ton in ODIs and first against Australia. 

He found ample support from half-centuries by Nishan Madushka (51) and Asalanka. 

Fresh from a match-winning hundred in the opener, Asalanka bludgeoned an unbeaten 78 off just 66 balls, peppering the boundary with six fours and three towering sixes.

The foundation was laid by a 98-run partnership between Kusal and Madushka for the second wicket, stabilising the innings after an early loss. 

Kusal then built on the momentum, stitching a 94-run stand with Asalanka for the fourth wicket. 

Australia made five changes as they fine-tune their lineup ahead of next week’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai. 

Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Ben Dwarshuis all came in.

Out went Alex Carey, Marnus Labuschagne, Cooper Connolly, Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis.

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Team Sri Lanka in action© AFP

A late bowling fightback sparked by Jacob Duffy produced a remarkable eight-run victory for New Zealand against Sri Lanka at Mount Maunganui on Saturday. Sri Lanka, with openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis in sparkling form, were cruising towards the 173-run target when they reached 95 without loss at the halfway stage. But in the 14th over, with Sri Lanka 121-0, Duffy changed the game with three wickets in four balls, all caught behind by Mitchell Hay, beginning with the dismissal of Mendis for 46 off 36 deliveries.

Nissanka went on to make 90 off 60, which included seven fours and three sixes for his highest T20I score, while no other Sri Lankan reached double figures.

The visitors went on to lost 8 wickets in the space of 43 runs with New Zealand pulling off a huge escape.

“We should have done better,” was the succinct summary from Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka who was out for three and also dropped a catch.

“Pathum and Kusal batted well, the rest including me should take responsibility for this loss.”

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said Duffy changed the game with his 3-21 after the home side reached 172-8 in their 20 overs with the innings propped up by a century stand by Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell.

The pair came together in the 10th over with New Zealand struggling at 65-5 and put on 105 before both were dismissed in the final over.

Mitchell was stumped for 62 off 42 deliveries while Bracewell was caught behind for 59 off 33.

“It was a massive partnership for us, the way they went about it, they soaked it up for a bit then put the pressure back on to put up a pretty good score,” Santner said.

Binura Fernando, who removed both New Zealand openers in his second over, finished with 2-22.

Tim Robinson was caught and bowled for 11 when he drove a short-pitched delivery straight back to the bowler.

Three balls later Rachin Ravindra, on eight, nicked an outswinger and was caught behind.

Mark Chapman, dropped on four, reached 15 before he was caught on the boundary by Kamindu Mendis off the bowling of Matheesha Pathirana.

Glenn Phillips had made eight off nine deliveries when he was trapped in front and Mitchell Hay went first ball when he played and missed at a delivery drifting into the pads.

Kusal Mendis in action against South Africa© AFP

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Kusal Mendis hit a gritty 74 not out as Sri Lanka posted a thrilling three-wicket win against New Zealand to clinch the three-match ODI series on Sunday. Sri Lanka were reeling at 93-5 but Mendis played the anchor role to perfection despite battling a groin injury to hand the hosts their fifth ODI series triumph this year. It was also Sri Lanka’s first win in an ODI series over the Black Caps in 12 years. Mendis was ably supported by Maheesh Theekshana who hit an unbeaten 27 off 44 balls as Sri Lanka reached the target of 210 runs with six balls to spare.

The day-night match was reduced to 47-overs a side because of rain interruptions.

The third and final ODI will also take place at Pallekele on Tuesday.

“The injury is not too serious, but I struggled with shot making,” said Mendis. 

“My getaway shot is the sweep, but I couldn’t sweep tonight and it was tough.”

Off-spinner Michael Bracewell was the most successful Kiwi bowler, picking up a career-best four wickets for 36 runs off his 10 overs.

Mendis, fresh off a century in the first ODI, led the chase with his composed 102-ball knock, studded with six boundaries.

At one stage, Sri Lanka were tottering on 163 for seven but an unbroken 47-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Mendis and Theekshana saw them through.

Kiwi batting woes

“It is always a challenge when you are defending a low score. Kusal played well,” said Kiwi skipper Mitchell Santner.

“If we had put a few more runs on the board and got 240, it would have been a different story. We have done well with the ball, but the problem is with batting.”

Earlier, spinners Jeffrey Vandersay and Theekshana shared six wickets to help bowl out New Zealand for 209 in 45.1 overs.

Mark Chapman hit a sparkling 76 off 81 balls and shared 75 runs for the fifth wicket with Mitchell Hay who fell one run short of his maiden one-day half-century.

Their batting was the lone bright spot for the Kiwis who struggled to get going against Sri Lankan spinners.

Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage set the tone in the second over, clean-bowling opener Tim Robinson with a sharp delivery.

But Chapman opened up to hit seven boundaries and three sixes in his defiant innings.

His spirited effort ended when Avishka Fernando took a spectacular diving catch inches off the ground.

Sri Lanka’s fielding, though not flawless, had its moments of brilliance. 

While there were dropped catches and lapses in the field, Avishka Fernando stood out with three stunning catches. 

Another highlight came from Pathum Nissanka, who sprinted in from long-on to claim an extraordinary catch, sending Santner (six) back after the left-hander failed to pick Vandersay’s googly.

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