Australia win by 64 runs – match report
Australia v Sri Lanka – in pictures
10.52pm AEST
Australia win by 64 runs in a run-feast
Well, that was a hell of a lot of fun. The Sri Lankans were always up against it chasing a mammoth 377, but through Tillakarante Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, they at least got off to a rip-roaring start in a partnership that got the SCG patrons up on their feet.
10.34pm AEST
Australia win by 64 runs with almost three full overs to spare when Senanayake - having sliced four to third man a ball earlier - spoons a Starc yorker into the hands of Doherty. With Chandimal out of action with that severe cramp, that ninth wicket kills off the game and the Aussies have won it by 64 runs.
They had some nervous moments with Dilshan and Sangakkara at the crease, then later when Chandimal got going, but they’ve finished it off nicely to post a handsome win. Reader Vinny Maddage is still impressed. “Cricket as it should be playe. Character, intent, aggression and pride. Regardless of the result, this is a strong display from the Sri Lankans.”
10.25pm AEST
46th over: Sri Lanka 308-8 (Senanayake 3, Malinga 0)
Now Tharanga departs after slogging Faulkner’s slower ball down to deep mid-wicket and being caught by Warner moving in from the boundary. It’s all over bar the shouting now.
10.21pm AEST
45th over: Sri Lanka 306-7 (Tharanga 4, Senanayake 1)
Finally Starc makes a notch in the wicket column and it’s a little bit predictable the way he skittles Prasanna with a fast, straight yorker to the base of the stumps. Starc gives a muted windmill in celebration, realizing half-way through that he’s essentially dismissed a tail-ender and should celebrate that event with appropriate decorum.
10.16pm AEST
44th over: Sri Lanka 304-6 (Tharanga 3, Prasanna 9)
Russel Arnold says Australia should take an extra positive out of this game in the form of Michael Clarke’s freedom of movement in the field. Was he not watching the outfield drop or the one he didn’t even get to? Hmm. Back in the middle, Shane Watson’s tendency to concede runs in bizarre circumstances continues when he’s edged over the vacant cordon for a boundary by Prasanna.
10.12pm AEST
43rd over: Sri Lanka 296-6 (Tharanga 3, Prasana 0)
Now it’s 81 off 42 for Sri Lanka and their hardy contingent of supporters are looking a little glum. They’ve surged in two periods of this chase but it looks now as though they’ll fall short.
Shane Warne going back to the well on the "Arjuna Ranatunga is/was fat" jokes
10.08pm AEST
Ouch, now Perera goes trying to slog a boundary towards cow off Johnson. Instead he skies it high in the direction of mid on and Doherty moves around to take a straightforward skied catch. Are the Lankans done now? You’d think so.
10.05pm AEST
42nd over: Sri Lanka 292-5 (Perera 8, Tharanga 1)
85 off 48 is the equation from here. Perera can smash them and Tharanga’s no mug either. Perera manages a pair of boundaries to finish the Watson over.
10.03pm AEST
It’s not exactly ideal given the way he’s hitting them, but one ball into this Watson over it’s clear that Chandimal can’t go on any longer with that cramp so he retires hurt, replaced by Thisara Perera. Worse, that break in momentum results in a wicket when Mathews takes a swish at Watson’s bouncer and feathers an edge behind the wicket to Haddin. That is a disaster for Sri Lanka - just as they hauled themselves back their luck turns cold.
9.57pm AEST
41st over: Sri Lanka 280-4 (Mathews 33, Chandimal 51)
Chandimal is in a bit of strife here; cramp by the looks. That brings proceedings to a halt for a while as the umpires allow him to take off his pads and get a rub-down. When the over resumes, Chandimal hooks one out towards fine leg and though he’s hobbling, that signals his half-centry from 22 balls of brave, resourceful hitting. All he can do now is swing because he can barely move his legs.
9.49pm AEST
40th over: Sri Lanka 272-4 (Mathews 30, Chandimal 46)
Sri Lanka are in T20 mode now and it’s paying off in grand style. Watson is taken apart in this over, again by Chandimal as he sends a pair of fours racing out to the SCG fence. One heads towards cow, the other to the extra cover boundary.
9.42pm AEST
39th over: Sri Lanka 261-4 (Mathews 28, Chandimal 37)
So often Australia’s hero in the past 24 months, Mitch Johnson looks like a bit of a liability at the moment. His first ball here goes for four through third man and then Chandimal is swinging for the rafters. “He’s a classical player” says Russel Arnold, but there’s nothing particularly textbook about some of the huge slogs he’s unleashing on Johnson.
9.37pm AEST
38th over: Sri Lanka 249-4 (Mathews 24, Chandimal 30)
Now Faulkner returns. Clarke is hoping he can nip this blossoming partnership in the bud and the chance actually falls into his own hands when he has another chance for a run-out. It’s in much the same spot as the last one but with the batsman stranded by half a pitch-length he misses with the direct-hit chance. Remarkably, Australia botch another run-out chance only two balls later. This game is a bit mad at the moment. It’s hard to keep up with it all.
9.32pm AEST
37th over: Sri Lanka 243-4 (Mathews 20, Chandimal 29)
With Australia’s bowling aces out of the attack for the time being, the Sri Lankan pair are treating Doherty like a stolen car. Mathews gets down on one knee and pumps him for a huge six, then hits four through cover. Once he gets his own turn, Chandimal cashes in with another pair of boundaries as Doherty falls apart. Nineteen precious runs come from the over. It’s sensational stuff from the Sri Lankans.
9.28pm AEST
36th over: Sri Lanka 224-4 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 21)
He’s not exactly known for his power-hitting, but Chandimal is a man on a mission tonight. He thumps Watson for four through cover and then hammers a quite wondrous six over cow corner, one that results in a pleasing ‘clock’ sound from the middle of the bat. It gets better; he’s Pietersen-like to Watson’s last ball, lifting his back leg as he flicks it around the corner for another boundary to deep square leg. Can he keep it going?
9.24pm AEST
35th over: Sri Lanka 208-4 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 5)
There’s no point in the new batting pair hanging around and nurdling. Chandimal gets straight to work by slog-sweeping Doherty over deep mid-wicket for four. He’ll need at least three of those per over if the Lankans are to get close to this target.
9.21pm AEST
Sangakkara is out! I feel like that needs to be in bold, Bradman style. He shaped as the potential hero for Sri Lanka but Kumar Sangakkara is gone when he lofts Faulkner deep to the off side and into the hands of Aaron Finch. The fielder had to make some serious ground coming in from the fence but he held it in grand style.
There was debate too over whether Faulkner had overstepped the line. To the naked eye it looked a no ball but having referred it upstairs, the umpires refused to call Sangakkara back. Ouch. That definitely looked like a no ball. The Aussies are in the box seat now, it’s safe to say.
9.15pm AEST
33rd over: Sri Lanka 200-3 (Sangakkara 101, Mathews 4)
Starc has 0-18 off 6 so far, a total outlier in a game in which most bowlers have gone at more than a run a ball. He’s not even Sri Lanka’s biggest problem right now either, because skipper Angelo Mathews is moving gingerly in the middle with what looks to be some kind of hamstring strain. Watch this space.
Kumar Sangakkara retiring is the biggest threat facing cricket today.
9.07pm AEST
32nd over: Sri Lanka 195-3 (Sangakkara 101, Mathews 4)
The Jayawardene debacle behind him, Sangakkara moves past his milestone with two to deep square leg off the bowling of Faulkner. That’s three tons in three games for Sangakkara; what a champion he is. We’re almost immune to his magnificence in the ODI arena, such is its everyday occurrence. Mathews has joined him at the crease now and their task is significant - 10 an over for the next 18 overs.
100! What an innings from the legendary Kumar Sangakkara! The first man ever to get 3 World Cup tons in a row! #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/MRfiN6f9vE
9.03pm AEST
31st over: Sri Lanka 188-3 (Sangakkara 99)
Upon Mitchell Starc’s return, Jayawardene does the right thing by his partner and gets off strike with a single to fine leg. Or is that actually doing Sangakkara a favour? He’s tempted into a dodgy push outside off stump and then almost knocked off his feet by a yorker that tails in viciously, taking an inside-edge as it cannons into Sangakkara’s boot.
8.57pm AEST
30th over: Sri Lanka 186-2 (Sangakkara 98, Jayawardene 18)
Clarke’s bowler rotation gets another change-up with Faulkner returning with his cutters, spinners and slow bouncers. There’s half a chance when Sangakkara lofts one into the outfield but advancing from the deep, Maxwell can’t quite pick up the ball and his last-second dive is not enough to make up the ground.
Surely the main reason why Maxwell is bowling well is that he has a ton behind him. Not much builds confidence like that @rustyjacko
8.51pm AEST
29th over: Sri Lanka 169-2 (Sangakkara 84, Jayawardene 15)
Speaking of Shane Watson, the reborn all-rounder is back for another bowl now. He couldn’t help but do better than in his expensive first spell. As all this is happening, a quite awkward and thus quite brilliant commentary discussion ensues between Russel Arnold and Mark Taylor, the gist of which is Arnold’s objection to Aaron Finch returning the ball from the outfield by bouncing it in along the turf. Quite right he is, too. Finch is ticked off by umpire Ian Gould
@rustyjacko With the two greatest (current) one day batsmen at the crease, and 150 already on the board, who's betting against SL?
8.46pm AEST
28th over: Sri Lanka 164-2 (Sangakkara 83, Jayawardene 11)
“It’s like he’s got a plan,” says Mark Waugh as Glenn Maxwell races through another productive over. You’d hope so, wouldn’t you Junior? Especially as a selector. Sangakkara is feeling the pinch a little, perhaps, because a rash sweep shot to finish the over is also nearly the end of his innings. It balloons over Haddin for two in the end.
8.43pm AEST
27th over: Sri Lanka 159-2 (Sangakkara 80, Jayawardene 9)
Park cricketers take heart: there is still a place for a lumbering outfielder who can’t really dive, as is amply proved when Shane Watson fails to reel in Sangakkara’s pull to the deep mid-wicket boundary. Watson’s dive is a like a slow motion recreation of the construction of nearby Sydney Harbour Bridge but the results are far less aestehetically pleasing. Poor Watto. Doherty recovers well, conceding only one more run from the rest of the over.
8.39pm AEST
26th over: Sri Lanka 154-2 (Sangakkara 76, Jayawardene 8)
Mindful of the need to keep plenty of Faulkner’s overs in hand, Clarke gives him a spell and tosses the ball back to Glenn Maxwell. Despite what might have been a temptation to attack, the Sri Lankan pair manage only four runs as the required rate creeps uncomfortably close to 10 per over. Can they reload and go again? Anything is possible with Sangakkara at the crease.
8.36pm AEST
25th over: Sri Lanka 150-2 (Sangakkara 74, Jayawardene 6)
Johnson’s operating in unfamiliar territory right now, doing his bit as more of a containment bowler than anything. He ties Sangakkara up beautifully, running his fingers across the seam and bowling an immaculate line and length, traits not exactly synonymous with the hairy quick in the last few years. The only run from the over is a single from the final delivery.
8.31pm AEST
24th over: Sri Lanka 149-2 (Sangakkara 73, Jayawardene 6)
He’s had a bit of a look around and gathered his bearings, so now Jayawardene is comfortable enough to shimmy across the crease and flick Mitchell Johnson over mid-wicket for a boundary. He did that with ridiculous ease, actually. Just shuffle, shuffle, then a quick rotation of the wrists to clip it away. It’s almost as though he’s done this before.
8.28pm AEST
23rd over: Sri Lanka 142-2 (Sangakkara 71, Jayawardene 1)
Mitchell Johnson has tightened up a lot in this spell. He’s angling it back in to Sangakkara and like Faulkner, varying his pace with the odd cutter as well. There’s an easy joke to be made here about The Sound and the Fury, but I’m above those sorts of terrible puns and so are you, dear readers.
8.24pm AEST
22nd over: Sri Lanka 137-2 (Sangakkara 70, Jayawardene 1)
Ooh, there’s nearly a run-out as well and despite the protestations of Sangakkara, his veteran partner almost runs himself out while getting off the mark. Faulkner is right in the game at the moment. He’s dragged Australia’s bowlers back in it with him.
8.20pm AEST
Pressure tells! With a pair of miserly overs behind him, Faulkner sends down a canny slower ball out the back of the hand and that variety of pace beats Dilshan all ends up. It clips his back leg and though Dilshan calls for a review, it’s definitely out. Ian Gould’s original call stands and Dilshan is on his way.
8.17pm AEST
21st over: Sri Lanka 135-1 (Dilshan 62, Sangakkara 69)
Big Bad Mitch Johnson is back but he’s more lean than mean, to be honest. Like Faulkner, he only concedes two runs for the over and bowls it at a brisk pace that asks questions of the batsmen. Questions like, “can you hit me for runs?” Mostly, the answer is ‘no’.
Sangakkara defines "Grace Under Pressure" - we can count ourselves lucky to have seen him before the power game overwhelms all @rustyjacko.
8.13pm AEST
20th over: Sri Lanka 133-1 (Dilshan 61, Sangakkara 68)
Faulkner’s done the nigh-on impossible here and conceded just two runs from the over. How did that happen? In 2015? At this World Cup? Scientists will be studying that over for years and they’ll still never find an answer.
8.10pm AEST
19th over: Sri Lanka 131-1 (Dilshan 60, Sangakkara 67)
Maxwell’s aim at the moment is probably damage limitation, so 8 from the over is hardly a disaster but the Aussies are in dire need of a wicket to halt the Sri Lankan momentum.
8.05pm AEST
18th over: Sri Lanka 123-1 (Dilshan 55, Sangakkara 64)
He’s been Australia’s Mr Fix-It in so many scenarios in the past couple of years and now James Faulkner is on for a bowl and in search of a wicket. Sangakkara cuts him stylishly but Steve Smith reels in a superb one-handed save at point to deny a run. It’s a typically tidy over from Faulkner. Good stuff.
@rustyjacko its weird how Dilshan's lack of helmet has the strange effect of making him appear kinda bored & nonchalant.
8.02pm AEST
17th over: Sri Lanka 119-1 (Dilshan 53, Sangakkara 62)
A notable feature of this partnership so far has been the ability of both batsmen to sense the ascendancy of the other and re-calibrate their thinking accordingly. Dilshan went on the attack earlier but now he’s sitting back and letting Sangakkara do all the front-running. I guess that’s a familiarity and confidence that comes with years of partnering each other at the crease. Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayawardene bat together like they share an exclusive language, one that’s indecipherable to bowlers at times.
7.56pm AEST
16th over: Sri Lanka 106-1 (Dilshan 51, Sangakkara 51)
Now it’s Dilshan’s chance to take a bow when he brings up 50, batting now with a pleasingly old-fashioned aesthetic having eschewed both helmet and cap and batting with only a sweaty mop of hair showing. Like a Sri Lankan Ken Barrington. Sort of? Okay, not really.
7.52pm AEST
15th over: Sri Lanka 101-1 (Dilshan 49, Sangakkara 50)
The Aussies are getting desperate now, appealing for a stumping when Sangakkara slightly overbalances to Doherty but clearly doesn’t leave his crease. Sanga brings up his 94th ODI half-century - yes, you read that correctly - and continues to look suspiciously like he’ll get his side home. Am I going the early crow? I guess I am.
7.49pm AEST
14th over: Sri Lanka 96-1 (Dilshan 47, Sangakkara 47)
This game threatened to settle down for a few overs there but it’s off its head again now, like a drunk who has woken up from the briefest of naps and chugged down another ill-advised Jager bomb. Maxwell is savaged by Sangakkara, going for 2-4-4 as the Sri Lankan champ moves past the 14,000 ODI run mark. He’s even caught up with Dilshan in today’s aggregates.
7.46pm AEST
13th over: Sri Lanka 86-1 (Dilshan 47, Sangakkara 37)
It’s all happneing in this over. Dilshan almost runs himself out taking two off Doherty and then he’s dropped after playing a very indiscrimnate heave towards leg, to which Clarke runs around, dives ever-so-slightly and spills a tough chance on the way down to the turf. Should he have taken it? Probably. Mitch Johnson was bearing down on him from the deep but Clarke called himself in and made a hash of it. It hung in the air forever, that one.
7.42pm AEST
12th over: Sri Lanka 81-1 (Dilshan 44, Sangakkara 35)
He batted like a mad genius earlier and now Glenn Maxwell is on for a bowl as Clarke seeks to slow the pace on the ball and force a tactical rethink from this batting pair. The Maxwell darts do the job even better than Doherty’s, costing only 5 runs. Dilshan reminds Mark Nicholas of “a Mexican bandito,” apparently. So there’s that.
7.39pm AEST
11th over: Sri Lanka 76-1 (Dilshan 43, Sangakkara 31)
It’s hard to tell whether he’s got the balck undies on, but Xavier Doherty has been thrown the ball and will have his first trundle of the World Cup. He’s typically accurate to start with but Sri Lanka’s pair are both looking for avenues of destruction. Seven runs is the result, though there was barely a stray delivery in there.
7.35pm AEST
10th over: Sri Lanka 69-1 (Dilshan 41, Sangakkara 25)
Starc’s still up around the 150kmph mark and he’s looking angry, to boot. The net result of Australia’s tactical recalibration is that the runs have also dried up in relative terms. There’s only four from this over - all of them singles.
@rustyjacko Sangakkara's neck padding and Dilshan getting badged are keeping both #HelmetTalk and this run chase alive.
7.30pm AEST
9th over: Sri Lanka 65-1 (Dilshan 41, Sangakkara 23)
Michael Clarke is on the defensive now, instructing Watson to bowl straight and full and setting his field accordingly. It’s a decent move for now because this pair could take away the game in 10-15 manic overs, or at the very least set up a successful chase. Sangakkara gives about a quarter of a chance off Watson’s last delivery, driving uppishly in the direction of mid off.
Reckon Doherty would be a bit nervous right now? #ausvsl
7.25pm AEST
8th over: Sri Lanka 59-1 (Dilshan 38, Sangakkara 20)
Now it’s nine boundaries in 13 balls as Sangakkara cover-drives on the up for four more against the returning Starc. There’s plenty of spite out there too and Ian Gould has to step in and calm things down when Dilshan and the Aussies exchange pleasantries.
7.22pm AEST
7th over: Sri Lanka 55-1 (Dilshan 38, Sangakkara 16)
This game has gone completely bonkers. Not content with dismantling Johnson, now the Sri Lankan pair turn their attentions to Shane Watson, who replaces Mitchell Starc. Sangakkara clips him for three, then Dilshan launches two more boundaries and an audacious Dilscoop for one, before Sangakkara taps himself back into the ring like Bam-Bam Bigelow and bashes four through cover.
7.17pm AEST
6th over: Sri Lanka 42-1 (Dilshan 33, Sangakkara 8)
There’s some superb and crowd-igniting batting from Dilshan in this over, in which he hits six consecutive fours! First there’s a pair of drives straight down the ground. To say Johnson is chagrined would be an understatement, especially when he’s on the receiving end of a wild slog towards cow that crosses the rope after one bounce and then a scything pull to square leg.
7.10pm AEST
5th over: Sri Lanka 18-1 (Dilshan 9, Sangakkara 8)
Dilshan’s in his usual hurry in the early stages of the innings and refuses to bow to Starc’s recent reputation, clipping him for two towards leg and then top-edging a hook for one - both strokes that he’d aimed to send into the stands. Starc’s getting it through much too fast for those kinds of ideas.
7.06pm AEST
4th over: Sri Lanka 13-1 (Dilshan 6, Sangakkara 6)
There’s a need for the Sri Lankans to work their way in here but they must also be conscious of letting the required run rate get too out of hand. Dilshan takes a single off Johnson and then Sangakkara pushes out through cover to pick up two and get off the mark himself. The shackles - if you can even call them that - are released when Sangakkara crouches a little uncomfortably and hooks over square leg for a boundary.
7.01pm AEST
3rd over: Sri Lanka 6-1 (Dilshan 5, Sangakkara 0)
Starc is working up a head of steam now, spearing one in and getting just enough movement that it screams past Sangakkara’s outside edge. The latter has the new-fangled Masuri helmet with foam inserts to protect the back of the head. It’s terrific that they’ve responded so quickly with that innnovation, isn’t it?
6.58pm AEST
2nd over: Sri Lanka 5-1 (Dilshan 4, Sangakkara 0)
If Sri Lanka are to win this game, Kumar Sangakkara is the man who’ll have to do most of the heavy lifting. He’s at the crease now and negotiates the first few from Johnson in his typically-Zen manner. You could drive a Monster Truck across the pitch and he wouldn’t bat an eye lid. If he ever comes out to Australia for the Big Bash, we might actually see that happen.
6.55pm AEST
Big Mean Mitch Johnson is thrown the matching new ball and after Dilshan drives him for three he strikes immediately, angling an awkward in-ducker towards Thirimanne’s rip cage and drawing from the left-hander a jumpy, unconvincing flinch that sees him feather the ball through to Haddin. The Aussie keeper has to dive forward slightly but completes the catch with aplomb. Johnson is on.
@rustyjacko why not allow as many overs per bowler as they or the captain want? That way the batsmen might get bogged down.
6.50pm AEST
1st over: Sri Lanka 2-0 (Dilshan 1, Thirimanne 1)
Dilshan and Thiramanne are the men tasked with opening this Sri Lankan innings and both have hit their straps in this tournament. Dilshan was collossal at the MCG against Bangladesh, while Thirimanne has found form in some style, generally looking a lock for runs. They’ll face up to Mitch Starc here, himself in the kind of form that makes eyes poop and wickets cartwheel.
6.44pm AEST
Hello OBOers
Welcome back to Slog City, New South Wales. Russell Jackson here taking you through Sri Lanka’s reply to the stupendous clinic in fast finishing that the Australians just put on. Want to get in touch? Hit me via email on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or on twitter: @rustyjacko
@rustyjacko Re the problems of ODI cricket below. Solve them by cutting each innings to 20 overs and the tournament to two weeks.
6.29pm AEST
We will be discussing these questions and more on the Guardian World Cup podcast. You can listen to the current episode here, where I’ve got guests Gideon High, Adam Collins and Russell Jackson.
We’ll be recording the next episode this Tuesday, so check the page or subscribe on iTunes to have it automatically downloaded once it’s released.
6.24pm AEST
Second, from Gangesh Vadakeyil:
“Coming to the present state of affairs in the WC, the Aussies do not have the seeming invincibility that their rivals across the Tasman possess on current form. The Kiwis look like the team to beat given the domination they have shown so consistently. MSD & Co. are so dependent on a rhythm and once that is upset they could lose to any team. The Proteas, their putative destructive powers apart, have lost twice and look vulnerable. Pakistan can be dangerous but they are predictably unpredictable. The Sri Lankan team has potential that could make it to the semis, if not any farther. England inspires little confidence. What are your thoughts on the possible semi line-up?”
6.21pm AEST
Two topics to consider.
One: has this World Cup made it clear that the new regulations - two new balls, and only four fieldsmen outside the circle - are not working? They favour the sides batting first immensely, and make it far easier to score more quickly and play more aggressively. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, because while it’s exciting to watch at the time, it tends to make a lot of games one-sided.
6.19pm AEST
An astonishing display by Australia’s batsmen here, all bar the openers contributing. Smith and Clarke set the early tone and gave the required stability. Maxwell and Watson brought on the carnage in the second half. Haddin popped the cherry on top at the end. Sri Lanka’s bowling attack would be one of the weakest among the contender nations, and they were exposed ruthlessly.
6.16pm AEST
50th over: Australia 376-9 (Johnson 3, Doherty 0)
That’s it, it’s all over. Eight runs from the over: Haddin had collected a boundary through square leg before he got out, then Starc was run out, then Johnson took a single and Doherty ran a bye from the last ball.
6.13pm AEST
A diamond duck for Starc, as Johnson clubs down the ground, takes a run, wants the second, and Starc going to the non-striker’s end didn’t have time to get back before the bowler broke the stumps.
6.11pm AEST
The Sri Lankans still have the spirit to smile and dish a couple of high-fives as they take one more wicket, Haddin holing out to cover.
6.08pm AEST
49th over: Australia 368-7 (Haddin 21)
Perera has taken some stick today, and it’s not stopping with a new man at the crease.
6.02pm AEST
48th over: Australia 349-6 (Watson 67, Haddin 2)
Another fine Malinga over in the circumstances - this goes for only four runs as he gets the yorker on the spot. Singles are the best they can do, even at this stage of the innings.
5.57pm AEST
47th over: Australia 345-6 (Watson 60, Haddin 0)
Classic shot! By classic I mean bizarre. Watson got a ball way outside the return crease that would surely have been a wide. He had started kneeling so he could drive the full delivery square, then saw how wide it was going. Instead of leaving it he literally dived toward the line of the ball like he was stretching for his batting crease, and while almost mid-air he got the end of the bat on it and sent it over point for four.
5.53pm AEST
A second danger man comes and goes with immediate effect, Faulkner driving straight to cover and taking off for the run, Mathews gathered and threw very smoothly to the bowler and Perera was able to get the bails off with Faulkner two inches short at the non-striker’s end. He’s on his way.
5.51pm AEST
Finally the fireworks fade into the background glare of the city sky. Maxwell gets a rank full toss, waist-high, tries to slam it straight and only gets it high in the air. Malinga tracks back from mid-on to take the catch. What an afternoon.
5.49pm AEST
46th over: Australia 337-4 (Maxwell 102, Watson 57)
Mathews is determined to bowl out Seekkuge Prasanna, even though the leggie has been belted by these two batsmen. It continues: Watson elevated the sweep over fine leg for four, then Prasanna bowls well wide of off stump, but Watto still kneels and crashes the ball straight back at the bowler, a sort of dragged sweep shot that nearly wipes out the man who sent it down, and shoots down the ground for four more.
5.42pm AEST
45th over: Australia 321-4 (Maxwell 99, Watson 44)
Some hilarious stuff in this over. Maxwell begins with a chance to break Kevin O’Brien’s 50-ball record for the fastest World Cup century. Malinga keeps him to a two, then a single, meaning he has 99 from 49 balls and can only equal it. Once Watson gives Maxwell the strike back he’s hit on the pad, Malinga appeals, Maxwell runs. The scoreboard gives him the run for an inside edge. The crowd cheers. Maxwell does not salute. Umpire Ian Gould accordingly asks him whether he missed that. Maxwell says yes, and the umpire belatedly signals a leg bye! Maxwell stays on 99, awaiting his first ODI century.
5.36pm AEST
44th over: Australia 315-4 (Maxwell 96, Watson 42)
Hello Watto. Australia’s new six celebrates with as many runs, clunking Mathews over long on. The runs just keep coming. Four more from Maxwell over cover, he’s target that area many times today. That’s where a boundary rider would be if the rules hadn’t reduced the number allowed.
5.31pm AEST
43rd over: Australia 300-4 (Maxwell 89, Watson 35)
Six! Watson gets in on the act, and the perfect ball to do it as Perera bowled him a high full toss for him to muscle over midwicket. Maxwell comes on strike and badly miscues a shot that nonethless lobs over mid-off and dribbles away for four.
5.26pm AEST
42nd over: Australia 280-4 (Maxwell 77, Watson 28)
Oh, Maxy. Switch-hit. Over gully. The reverse swat. Angelo Mathews goes for four.
5.21pm AEST
41st over: Australia 270-4 (Maxwell 69, Watson 26)
Prasanna back, decent leg-break first up but Maxwell respects it not, slogging it past the deep midwicket fieldsman for four.
5.16pm AEST
40th over: Australia 253-4 (Maxwell 54, Watson 24)
Last over of the PowerPlay, and Watson flicks Malinga behind square for four. The Watson-to-No6 brigade will be loving this, he’s looked totally at ease since he came out today as opposed to his stodgy efforts at first drop this summer.
5.10pm AEST
39th over: Australia 245-4 (Maxwell 52, Watson 18)
You really feel for bowlers in this age. We’re not even in the last 10 overs. If these two go a bit longer Australia could end up past 350. This feels very threatening. What thrilling batting from Maxwell. Every hit is so clean.
5.06pm AEST
38th over: Australia 235-4 (Maxwell 43, Watson 17)
In fact Watson’s been better able to score from Malinga than Maxwell has so far. Whips two runs off his legs, then glances a single. Four, as Maxwell finally gets his range, Malinga misses the yorker marginally, landing it just a bit short of that length, and Maxwell uses the few inches of bounce to smear it over cover.
5.01pm AEST
37th over: Australia 219-4 (Maxwell 38, Watson 6)
This could be interesting. It’s the PowerPlay, I should have mentioned - that kicked in automatically last over, given 35 overs had gone. Malinga bowled the first of it, but it’s the leggie, Seekkuge Prasanna, who’s been asked to bowl the second.
4.53pm AEST
36th over: Australia 202-4 (Maxwell 22, Watson 5)
Malinga time. Short, Watson almost falls over playing it, jerking away from the line of the ball as he hooked, but he got a run. Maxwell is just as awkward, getting a fierce yorker on his boot as he tried to back away, and it almost took his legs out from under him as he squirted it to midwicket.
4.48pm AEST
35th over: Australia 199-4 (Maxwell 21, Watson 3)
There’s all of Maxwell. A massive slog that he edges high over cover, and it just lands safely for two. Then he times one better, lobbing cover for four. Then he backs off a bit, goes inside out and slams Dilshan for six over long-off. Takes a single, then we chuckle as Watson nicks a run to keep the strike.
4.46pm AEST
34th over: Australia 185-4 (Maxwell 8, Watson 2)
Every bowling side looking at Maxwell will feel a sense of opportunity and a sense of panic. You have a good chance to get him out, but if you don’t then the game will disappear.
4.43pm AEST
33rd over: Australia 178-4 (Maxwell 3, Watson 0)
The complexion has changed, and now it’s down to Australia’s big hitters to start a touch earlier than they’d prefer and make the most of these last 17 overs. Dilshan has the magic arm and Smith once again gives away what looked a very likely century.
4.40pm AEST
Two in quick time! This match has suddenly shifted as Smith tries to smash Dilshan straight for six, gets it higher than he does long, and the two fieldsmen in the deep converge, hesitate, worry each other, and eventually Perera charges the final steps to take a brilliant catch that was almost landing behind him, having to twist as he dived to get near it and reel it in. Find that on the highlights package.
4.38pm AEST
32nd over: Australia 176-3 (Smith 72, Maxwell 1)
You wonder if Mathews shouldn’t have given Malinga a over or two when Clarke first came out. Malinga was short first ball and cracked away by Clarke on the pull, but saved well and kept to two. Two low full-tosses puzzled the batsman, then Clarke smashed a drive down the ground for four. But the second-last ball saw him bowled with some inswing at serious pace, Clarke’s footwork nowhere and trying to drive a ball that was never there.
4.35pm AEST
What a ball! Malinga comes back and he rips through Clarke with the yorker. Attempted drive is beaten and the stumps splay. Clarke was caught in two minds, trying to attack more than he normally might, and Sri Lanka’s champ took advantage. Brilliant comeback knock though from the Australian captain.
4.30pm AEST
31st over: Australia 169-2 (Smith 72, Clarke 62)
Looks like Sri Lanka will need all their chasing prowess tonight. One, two, one, two, then Smith savagely cuts a four. Senanayake goes for 10 from the over. It’s way past Malinga time.
4.28pm AEST
30th over: Australia 159-2 (Smith 65, Clarke 59)
Yep, there’s the injury concern. Clarke drives to mid-off, there’s a big misfield, plenty of time to dart a single as cover runs across to field, but Clarke says no. No way that he and Smith would decline that run if he were fit. He’s going to hit out.
4.23pm AEST
29th over: Australia 149-2 (Smith 64, Clarke 50)
Shot! Clarke again, getting one that’s a bit short from Senanayake, and Clarke backs away extravagantly and lifts it over cover. Four runs.
4.18pm AEST
28th over: Australia 135-2 (Smith 56, Clarke 44)
Maybe we’re going to see Clarke open up to avoid running so much. He did so to great effect at Adelaide in that Test. He crashes Mathews for four through cover. Watching closely now, Clarke is absolutely sauntering the singles. Steve Smith is running them, Clarke is trotting them, rather than pushing to look for two.
4.15pm AEST
27th over: Australia 126-2 (Smith 54, Clarke 38)
Uh-oh. Clarke has called for the physio and the drinks waiters. Alex Kountouris came out to the middle, they talked for a while, the physio went back. Clarke didn’t look in real trouble, but the commentary are noting that he grimaced a bit after an earlier shot, and that his running between the wickets has been very leisurely in the few runs since.
4.11pm AEST
26th over: Australia 121-2 (Smith 52, Clarke 35)
Mathews brings himself on to bowl his gentle medium pace, and it’s predictably easy to handle for the batting pair. Some shonky fielding at mid-off gives Clarke three runs he shouldn’t have had, and four singles are added to the tally.
4.09pm AEST
25th over: Australia 114-2 (Smith 50, Clarke 30)
Steve Smith is channelling a younger Clarke, calling for the cap and forsaking the helmet given how much spin is being bowled. Clarke himself remains in the salad bowl. Dilshan drops shot and Clarke really clobbers a pull, that’s an encouragingly well struck shot as well, though Malinga saves well and keeps them to one run.
4.03pm AEST
24th over: Australia 107-2 (Smith 45, Clarke 28)
Prasanna finally gives Smith something to hit, drifting it too wide and Smith cuts for four. Clarke charges to smash one through cover but it’s beautifully stopped on the dive. Seven from that over in the end.
4.00pm AEST
23rd over: Australia 100-2 (Smith 40, Clarke 26)
Tillakaratne Dilshan is about to get onto the bowling card, one of that breed of opening batsman who happens to bowl very handy and underrated off-spin. How many others are there? Chris Gayle, Mohammed Hafeez, off the top of my head. Aaron Finch spins a few. Send me your best.
3.57pm AEST
22nd over: Australia 95-2 (Smith 39, Clarke 22)
Seekkuge Prasanna has only played about 20 ODIs, though he’s in his late 20s himself, but the lack of international experience is not stopping him bowling well. He dots up Steve Smith again, conceding only two runs from a cut shot to cover. The other five balls are all struck to the field.
3.55pm AEST
21st over: Australia 93-2 (Smith 37, Clarke 22)
Shot! Clarke plays his first shot in anger since the Adelaide Test last December. A fullish length from Thisara Perera and Clarke swung truly through the line of the ball and lofted it to a vacant long-on for four. That was the last ball of the over, so the three preceding singles made it a very good one for Australia.
3.52pm AEST
20th over: Australia 86-2 (Smith 35, Clarke 17)
Excellent over from Prasanna to Smith, giving it some flight, drawing some defensive strokes and some shots straight to the field. A single from the last ball is the only result for the batsman. Good rhythm now, they might just bowl him straight through.
3.50pm AEST
19th over: Australia 85-2 (Smith 34, Clarke 17)
Perera bowls a tidy enough three-single over, but nothing threatening there. This is where Sri Lanka really fall down, the lack of a genuine second pace bowler to support Malinga, let alone a third.
3.41pm AEST
18th over: Australia 82-2 (Smith 32, Clarke 16)
We’ve settled into the lull overs early, unless Sri Lanka can rough this ball up enough to get something to happen. Three singles from Prasanna’s leg-spin in the lead-up to drinks.
3.38pm AEST
17th over: Australia 79-2 (Smith 30, Clarke 15)
Smith firmly in the watchful camp during this Perera over. A few dots, a couple of singles, as Perera settles into a line just outside off, and a length just short of good, keeping things fairly tight. Three from it.
3.36pm AEST
16th over: Australia 76-2 (Smith 28, Clarke 14)
Senanayake’s over goes for four, a couple of singles to leg, then Clarke takes two to deep cover.
3.33pm AEST
15th over: Australia 72-2 (Smith 27, Clarke 11)
Smith is in five touch. Thisara Perera comes on for a bit of seam-up, and Smith ever so delicately drives his fifth ball back past him for four. Three singles as well from the over. Few scares.
3.29pm AEST
14th over: Australia 65-2 (Smith 22, Clarke 9)
Only two singles from Senanayake’s over, but confident footwork from both these Australian batsmen. They’re definitely the most mobile and versatile couple of players we’ve seen in the canary yellow over the last few years.
@GeoffLemonSport I see your beloved watson is at no.6. The new bevan
3.25pm AEST
13th over: Australia 63-2 (Smith 21, Clarke 7)
Prasanna continuing, Clarke looking pretty comfortable already. This may not be the right move by Sri Lanka.
@GeoffLemonSport can't help but feel Clarke would appreciate two spinners to get his eye in. Think Sri Lanka have made a mistake.
3.22pm AEST
12th over: Australia 56-2 (Smith 18, Clarke 4)
Double spin now. Senanayake is back, bowling off-spin around the wicket to these right-handers. They work him comfortably enough for four singles to the leg-side.
3.19pm AEST
11th over: Australia 52-2 (Smith 16, Clarke 2)
Prasanna continues. Another big appeal against Clarke as he comes down the pitch and pads a ball away. Replays show it would have been umpire’s call, clipping the top of off stump. Unlikely to be given so far down the pitch though.
3.17pm AEST
10th over: Australia 49-2 (Smith 15, Clarke 0)
Smith immediately takes over the responsibility of scoring, driving a full ball from Mathews dead straight along the ground for four, then drives a shorter ball through point for the same result.
3.15pm AEST
9th over: Australia 41-2 (Smith 7, Clarke 0)
The change works for Mathews. Prasanna came on for Senanayake, bowled that same leg-stump line initially to be swept for four, but lured Finch down two balls later. Michael Clarke walks to the crease and might finally get to play a substantial innings in this tournament.
3.11pm AEST
Great bowling change! Seekkuge Prasanna comes on for his first over of leg breaks, senses that Finch is going to charge him, and bowls an arm ball just past Finch’s legs. Sangakkara demolishes the stumps and both openers are gone, gone, gone.
3.08pm AEST
8th over: Australia 37-1 (Finch 20, Smith 7)
More third-umpire weirdness. Can someone sort these guys out? There’s a massive appeal as Angelo Mathews, in his first over, breaks past Smith’s drive and hits Smith on the back leg. The back leg is straight and the ball hits him quite high, and maybe just outside the line of the stumps. It’s given not out and Sri Lanka review. It’s a bad review - lbw calls have to be dead wrong to be overturned, and that one has a bit of doubt seeing it live. But somehow the third umpire doesn’t even look at Hawk-Eye - he decides that Snicko reveals an inside edge on the ball, when in fact Snicko is registering the ball hitting the back pad.
3.01pm AEST
7th over: Australia 34-1 (Finch 17, Smith 7)
Smith taking his time to gauge this attack. He gets two runs from Malinga’s first ball after Finch insists on the second from a misfield, but after that Smith blocks and leaves most of the over. Nothing loose to hit.
2.57pm AEST
6th over: Australia 32-1 (Finch 17, Smith 5)
The Senanayake Experiment keeps playing but the record is starting to skip. He drags one down outside leg stump and Finch drags the sweep shot down to backward square for four. Then there’s three more to cover from a short ball, and a couple of singles.
2.55pm AEST
5th over: Australia 24-1 (Finch 10, Smith 4)
I can tell you for certain now that Shane Watson is no longer Australia’s first drop. In comes Esteban Smith, retaining the position that nearly delivered him a century last outing against Bangladesh. There’ll be happy comment-board pundits nationwide: Smith to No3 has been a theme since his record-breaking Test season.
2.49pm AEST
There’s the breakthrough. Malinga bowls the slower ball, holds it up slightly, and Warner is done by the pace, pushing at it but only bunting it to cover where the catch is held.
2.47pm AEST
4th over: Australia 19-0 (Finch 10, Warner 9)
Amazing shot from Warner, as he makes room outside the leg stump and creams the drive through cover. Senanayake being challenged here.
2.44pm AEST
3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Finch 9, Warner 4)
Malinga to Finch. He lands five deliveries right, keeping the line tight and giving Finch no room. But he errs with one, wider, and Finch slashes it through cover. Four, then a darted single from the final ball.
2.42pm AEST
2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Finch 4, Warner 4)
Here’s a sting - the off-spinner Senanayake takes the second over. A good move given how slap-happy these two get against pace. He’s bowling hard on the leg stump, and they’re not quite sure what to do with him. Finch nearly gloves one to Sangakkara with some extra bounce, then edges one away through fine leg for three.
2.35pm AEST
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Finch 1, Warner 3)
Fierce start! Malinga rips in a yorker to Finch, who almost falls over his own feet keeping it out. Angelo Mathews removes the second slip and brings him into short cover. Malinga immediately draws the edge from Finch through second slip for a single. Jayawardene threw himself across from first but could just get a finger on it. Why do you remove a slip after one ball? Why, oh why? Proper edge, Finch was so nearly gone.
2.24pm AEST
This is going to be some game. Australia’s batting has been power-packed over the last year or so, and are pretty good at savaging bowlers who aren’t quite up to the mark. Sri Lanka have a few that aren’t especially threatening. But as Australia’s collapse against New Zealand showed, they can land in a heap when the bowling is right.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have been batting like a dream since their sputtering effort against Afghanistan. In their last couple of games against Bangladesh and England they’ve scored over 600 runs for two wickets lost, with Kumar Sangakkara scoring centuries in both games. Not just that, but they’re his fastest two ODI centuries, coming in his 400th and 401st games. Safe to say he’s improving with age.
2.17pm AEST
Reckon that’s a big toss to win, that one.
Seekkuge Prasanna, Upul Tharanga and Sachithra Senanayake are the new players for Sri Lanka, all on their World Cup debuts. Dimuth Karunaratne and Rangana Herath are out injured, with Herath especially a huge loss - the slow left-armer with the guile and bounce to trouble everybody in all forms of the game. Pacer Suranga Lakmal was omitted.
2.11pm AEST
Frenzied Romans on country estates, loan me your easels. We’re not far now from getting underway in what will be a formative contest for the final make-up of Pool A at this World Cup. Australia versus Sri Lanka, with the loser to take third spot and probably a knockout path via South Africa to New Zealand, and the winner to take second place and a far less daunting knockout draw. It matters, it’s major, and it could be magic. Geoff Lemon with you for the first innings - let’s make it happen.
1.45pm AEST
Geoff will be here presently to take you through proceedings at the SCG, but before he gets here have a watch of how Australia fared in their last outing, against Afghanistan. WARNING: it’s brutal.
Continue reading...