One day game action between Australia and Sri Lanka continues with the third ODI at the Gabba in Brisbane with the series tied at one game apiece.
We’ll bring you the live coverage of the action throughout this third ODI at Brisbane from 1.50 pm AEST on January 18.
It has been a topsy-turvy start to the ODI series with both teams winning one match and doing that very convincingly.
Australia won the first one by 107 runs then Sri Lanka replied with a compliment of their own, dishing out an eight-wicket victory in the second game.
Things however will change now. Touted as a second-string side, Australia have finally managed to effect those few changes that most fans wanted at the start of the series.
In comes captain Michael Clarke, as does Matthew Wade after having cleared the air with the previously-critical Ian Healy and David Warner. Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson are also fit to play now although Ben Cutting is still around as cover.
It was expected to be a surprise call-up for all-rounder Moises Henriques, probably a like-for-like replacement for Shane Watson. Unfortunately for the team, the similarity did not end at their batting or bowling capabilities with Henriques in doubt for this game with an injury too.
Sri Lanka have made all the right sounds about being ready for the full-strength Australian side with captain Mahela Jayawardene stating, “It’s good to have Davy [Warner] and Michael back, but we’ll prepare the same way.”
Of course, what he will need is for his bowlers to put up a show not too different from the one on display at Adelaide. The lines and lengths were better than before and the reduction of four-balls – in Jayawardene words – increased the pressure on Australia.
The batting was clinical. A target of 171 could have been tricky under bowling-friendly conditions but Lahiru Thirimanne and Tillakaratne Dilshan bit the bullet hard to survive the initial bowling onslaught.
Thirimanne will be proud of his century that followed a 90 in the Sydney Test match and will hope to continue in the same vein.
Australia has won the toss and will bat.
We will bring you the live score throughout the game from the Gabba and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
Finny92
Roar Rookie
England did do this against SA, they just dropped so many catches and it cost them.
Rowdy
Guest
Very doubtful. I'm expecting the Aus team to 1989 us unfortunately.
Pradeep
Guest
Get khawaja in, he has the ticker to score in tough conditions that's missing right now
Rob from Brumby Country
Guest
Dude, Sri Lanka quite obviously won the game with excellent bowling. Give credit where credit is due.
Rob from Brumby Country
Guest
He's also single-handedly responsible for half of our Test match victories last year, you ingrate.
Rob from Brumby Country
Guest
Gee, imagine if Kulasekara had bowled that well in the Tests, though! Still, I'm not going to go despairing about how awfully our batsmen played against the swing tonight. It was a one-off, and if the English could repeat those results consistently, then they would not have lost their last home series so emphatically.
Sanjay
Guest
No it wasn't match fixing, its the inablity of our top order to handle good swing bowling, only a few players in the country can handle it well and they include Clarke, Khawaja and Warner.
Rob from Brumby Country
Guest
No, there's not. Ask any quantum physicist. They'll tell you.
Dcnz
Guest
Nice slow mo here on the ball that got Moses H.....http://youtu.be/bCbxFkyc6m0
Neville
Guest
Why is it an embarrasing day for Sri Lanka? How could Aus won the match when they actually failed? Do you have another team? In that sense, any match could have won or lost, when you talk from anywhere other than the pitch and the ground.
Neville
Guest
Investigate for "Match Fixing"! This behaviour is Very Very unsusual from a team with so many (Boasted) world's bests. Inquiry is a must. (That's what they say when other teams fail like this. May be it's the chance for others to demand the same!)
Felix
Guest
Stay strong Kev, don't let him lure you in with his sultry spin. He's single-handedly responsible for a lot of the muck we all gripe about week in week out on here!
Atawhai Drive
Guest
In any case, why would the result of a ODI have any implications for the Ashes? Australia won the Test series against Sri Lanka 3-0. ODIs are irrelevant.
Jannerboyuk
Guest
Always a first time for anything! Ha ha unlucky Aussies!
Deano
Guest
OUR BEST TEAM!!! 1. Warner 2. Khawaja 3. Hughes 4. Clarke (c) 5. M.Hussey (Wk) 6Wade 7. Cutting 8. Johnson 9. Siddle 10. Starc 11. Doherty
Sanjay
Guest
Its time to bring Khawjaa in and don't rotate batsman unless you need to. Prior to the ODI series, Warner, Clarke and Wade were all in good batting form. Pulled out and away from it and they have to find their form again. Other selections weren't too good either. Henriques is a good state player, D Hussey has had one score this season and that was the last ODI, today he went back to form, he only scores when we have a platform and can't be relied on when we are under pressure unlike Khawaja who is the man for pressure situations. Inverarity and co need to bite the bullet and admit they have made mistakes. Khawaja has to come in. Shaun Marsh has the runs on the board this season and should also be there. Wade at 7 and four bowlers with Clarke, Warner and whoever for the other 10.
Rob from Brumby Country
Guest
I should point out that a 5-0 scoreline has never occurred in an English Ashes series in the history of the sport. The biggest margins of victory (4-0) were recorded by the Invincibles on their tour in 1948 and by AB's squad in 1989 (who were ironically billed before the series as 'the worst Australian squad to ever come to England for an Ashes series'). So really, stop repeating the 5-0, 4-0 predictions. It might sound like a petty gripe to have, but people should really know better than to buy into the hype(rbole).
Deano
Guest
They won't pick mr.cricket, so lets get Khawaja in, what we faced today is what we will get in the ashes, get Khawaja in now so he has the exposure required.
Deano
Guest
Yeah agree Red Kev, Khawaja is a great player in tough batting conditions and that's what our top order needs, not guys who are flat track bullies.
Sunil
Guest
also a word to the Aus selectors give Khawaja a run the kid can play!