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Game-buster Clint McKay’s feats with bat and ball inspired Australia to a 16-run victory over Sri Lanka to claim the tri-series title on Thursday.
McKay followed an invaluable batting cameo with a miserly five-wicket haul as Australia, after stumbling to 231 all out, bowled the tourists out for 215 with seven balls remaining at Adelaide Oval.
The Australians won the best of three finals series 2-1 despite the absence of captain Michael Clarke, who will miss a month of cricket with a hamstring strain.
McKay was the central character in the decider, helping rescue Australia after a middle-order batting crash cruelled hopes of a massive total.
The Victorian then snared his best one-day figures of 5-28 from 9.5 overs in a match-winning performance.
Earlier, Australia’s solid batting platform built by top-scorer Matthew Wade (49) and his opening partner David Warner (48 from 45 balls) was eroded by a stunning collapse of 5-36 in a dozen overs.
But McKay smacked 28 runs from 32 balls, and combined with Brett Lee for a precious 40-run union for the eighth wicket.
Lee and McKay then united with the ball to tear through Sri Lanka’s vaunted top order as the tourists slumped to 4-53 in the 10th over.
A fired-up Lee snared the initial two victims – dangermen Tillakaratne Dilshan (eight) and Kumar Sangakkara (19 off nine balls).
Lee marked both wickets with gusto, prompting a warning from umpires to tone down his celebrations.
McKay picked up the theme by dismissing Dinesh Chandimal (five) and captain Mahela Jayawardene (15) to leave the Sri Lankans wobbling.
The tourists’ were placed back on track by a 60-run fifth-wicket stand between Lahiru Thirimanne (30) and Upul Tharanga, only for McKay to return and strike again and boast the figures of 3-12 from his initial six overs.
But Tharanga was then united with Nuwan Kulasekara – the pair who almost pinched the first final in Brisbane with an audacious late order partnership.
The duo cracked a rapid-fire 30 runs before Lee, who finished with 3-59 from eight wayward yet wicket-taking overs, dismissed Kulasekara (15).
Sri Lanka needed a run a ball from the final six overs when Tharanga’s match-high knock of 71 from 122 balls was ended when dismissed by Australia’s acting captain Shane Watson (2-13).
McKay then mopped up with the final two wickets to seal Sri Lanka’s fate.
Australia’s acting captain Shane Watson was thrilled with the performance of his bowlers to defend their middling total.
“After getting 231, we knew we were going to have to bowl extremely well to defend that, and we did,” Watson said.
“It’s brilliant to see that when the guys really set their minds to it, we can do it.
“That is the standard we set tonight. That is where we want to play all our cricket.”
Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene had mixed feelings: disappointment at losing the decider, but overall happy with his team’s tour.
“I’m a hard marker,” he said.
“I’m quite happy and proud with the way the boys played.
“But we didn’t actually get the job done and win the tournament.”
Meanwhile, the Australians were fined for maintaining a slow over rate during their 16-run win.
English match referee Chris Broad imposed the fines after Australia were ruled to be one over short of their target when time allowances were taken into consideration.
In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.
As such, Watson was fined 20 per cent of his match fee, while his teammates received 10-per-cent fines.
If Watson is found guilty of one more minor over-rate offence in ODIs over the next 12 months, he will receive a one-match suspension.
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