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After a three-Test shellacking by Sri Lanka, Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner, and skipper Steve Smith combined to lift the Australians back into the winner’s circle in the first of five one dayers, by three wickets.
Starc sparked the return by becoming the fastest bowler ever to 100 ODI wickets in his 52nd game. He was vital in restricting Sri Lanka to 227.
Starc’s record just pipped Saqlain Mustaq’s 53 ODIs, Shane Bond’s 54, and Brett Lee’s 55 to the milestone.
Faulkner wasn’t to be left out of the accolades with a career-best 4-38 off 10. Dinesh Chandimal top-scored with 80 off 118 to lead the home side.
In the chase, Smith was the ultimate of intense concentration until he was dismissed to a sensational catch for 58 off 92 deliveries with only five boundaries.
But the skipper was the foundation as the Australian batsmen had to survive the Sri Lankan spinners who were turning it square.
It was the spinners who turned the Australian batsmen inside out in the Test series. But today there was more resolve, and more patience, yet Australia still stayed well ahead of the Sri Lankan run-rate during their 8-227.
The Australian 50 came up with two down after 52 deliveries – Sri Lanka was 2-36 – with Australia 14 runs in front.
The Australian 100 was posted in 117 deliveries with two down – Sri Lanka was 2-77 – Australia 40 in front.
The Australian 150 with three down came up in 169 deliveries – Sri Lanka was 2-121 – with Australia 29 in front and on their way to chasing down the Sri Lankan total.
But there were some hiccups.
Aaron Finch was in explosive form with 56 off 46 when he was given out caught at slip when there was considerable doubt he nicked it.
There was no white dot nor “snicko” available in the review, which by any standards is a farce.
Finch was furious, he knew he hadn’t hit it, but he had to depart. On the brighter side, Finch won the man-of-the-match award.
Why Matthew Wade batted four, when George Bailey, Moises Henriques, and Travis Head were the higher-rated batsmen, was hard to understand.
Wade is a regularly inconsistent batsman with a slog sweep range from way outside off stump to outside leg. He departed with 26 off 34.
Henriques left early for six, followed by Bailey (38), and Head (10), with Australia still needing six to win.
It was fitting Faulkner and Starc safely saw the Australians hone with 19 deliveries remaining for the Australians to claim their highest run chase in Sri Lanka.
And they did it with David Warner well out of sorts with just eight off 17 deliveries, while Josh Hazlewood, Henriques, Adam Zampa, and Head managed just one wicket between them, hardly troubling any Sri Lankan batsmen.
If there was a fieldsman of the match award it would easily go to the Sri Lanka veteran Tillakaratne Dilshan, just two months short of his 40th birthday, and playing his 328th ODI.
He was simply brilliant, saving at least 30 runs.
The captains agreed the wicket was tough to bat on.
Angelo Matthews – “The wicket was tougher in Australia’s innings”.
Steve Smith – “We thought there would be more dew at night, that’s why we fielded. But we were always confident we could successfully chase”.
And they did. Victory in Sri Lanka, at last.