The last leg of Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia begins with the first of two T20Is which will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
We’ll bring you the live coverage of the action throughout this T20I at Sydney from 7.35pm AEST on January 26.
It will be a different set of personnel who take field for Australia but George Bailey, their captain, will enter the series with some more experience of playing at the highest level and leading as well.
His three games as captains in the ODIs against Sri Lanka led to two victories and he will hope to build on it.
Also back into the squad is Shaun Marsh after scoring heavily in the Big Bash League while Aaron Finch will hope to consolidate on his T20 credentials after a poor couple of ODIs.
Adam Voges gets a call-up too, almost two years after he last played an international for Australia.
Back in the World T20, Australia had gotten themselves a semi-finals spot thanks mainly due to the all-round prowess of Shane Watson.
A failure with bat and ball in the semi-finals for Watson had ended Australia’s run in the competition, giving rise to thoughts that the side overly depended on it.
Watson will miss out this time because of injury and Australia will have a good chance to prove their T20 credentials with this new team
Sri Lanka have something new as well and it is their captain. Angelo Mathews has taken over the baton from Mahela Jayawardene who had resigned from the job at the end of the World T20.
Mathews will have a task on his hands, not necessarily only because playing against Australia is Australia is difficult.
Juggling his batting and bowling responsibilities with leading the team could be handful for this young skipper, who may not be a certainty to take over as the Test captain as was originally envisaged.
Such have been the Sri Lankan board machinations that what was earlier deemed a foregone conclusion – about Mathews’ leading the side in ODIs and Tests as well – is now highly doubtful.
What Mathews will therefore look at is to focus on what he can do. And first up will be a task to choose their 11 best players for this first T20I against Australia.
It isn’t certain whether or not Jayawardene will play this game but on current form he will do well to take a break and allow someone younger to get a chance. That could leave Sri Lanka with Tillakaratne Dilshan as the only experienced bat in the order.
The bowling will be a hard nut to crack with Lasith Malinga having found form in the ODIs and Nuwan Kulasekara being hard to get away.
The Lankans will be tempted to play another one of their mystery spinners in Akila Dananjaya but with Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis in the squad, he might have to wait his turn if they decide to go in with only one tweaker.
We will bring you the live coverage throughout the game from the SCG and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
dcnz
Guest
australia were schooled badly last night.... marsh and voges should really have provided another 30 runs minimum from their balls faced....but Sri Lanka too good !
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Because they're over-rated?
Lukeling
Guest
Ridiculous that Warner is man of the match- surely Malinga should have been named, he did help WIN the game.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's it then, will be back for the second T20I on Monday. Have a very good night!
Matt
Guest
Disappointing, not sure why marsh took forever then got out, and voges at the end with a strike rate of 100 is a fail in 20/20
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four wins in a row for Sri Lanka over Australia means that the final game of their tour down under will be a must-win for the hosts. Sri Lanka lead 1-0, doing well to chase a modest score. Warner was excellent but lacked batting support when Australia went in first. 150 would have been a better score one felt. Sri Lanka chased well. Kushal Perera was quickly off the blocks, Dilshan supported him well and despite the quick fall of wickets in the middle overs, there was captain Mathews and Perera to shore up the chase. Mathews will be beaming from ear to ear in his first game as a skipper.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And now it IS all over! Another six to end the game. Perera wasn't getting them off the middle so far but gets two in two to finish the game. Full-toss and blasted over long-on for a maximum. Sri Lanka win by five wickets with an over and a ball to spare.
Red Kev
Guest
Poor Laughlin, 2, 4, 1, 6, 6 game over
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six! Almost all over! Despite an excellent effort from Ben Cutting, diving to his right at deep square-leg, it has been tipped over the fence for a six!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Lack of experience costing Australia here. Not too pace either. One off Laughlin is smacked to mid-wicket for a couple before Mathews drills a full-toss down the ground for a four! 12 needed from 10.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Starc's dug one short and Perera finally gets a bat on it. A couple of runs. And follows it up with another dot. Excellent bowling that from Starc, who concedes only four from it. Ends with figures of 1/19 in 4. Sri Lanka still need 18 from the last two overs. Captain Mathews' still there, so that's a plus.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Perera's swinging them hard. And hardly hitting them. 20 needed from 14.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Almost a caught-and-bowled there! Diving to the left on his follow-through and tries to grab it. Laughlin seemed to have got it but it slipped out after he landed on the ground. 10 from that over and Sri Lanka still need 22 from three.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
On the money...but for the batsman! Yep, the right line, the right length and Mathews smokes it over the bowler's head for a six! Suddenly it is down to 26 needed from 22.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just takes an over to change things around for Australia. Two off the Starc over and a wicket. 32 needed from four now, with the run-rate required having slipped up to eight.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Starc recalled and a wicket! That's sliced straight to point. It was outside the off stump and Thirimanne tries to slash it through the covers but can only spoon it to the fielder there and Sri Lanka have now lost their fifth. 34 needed from 28. One of the main bowlers should have bowled the previous over instead of Finch. That decision may come back to haunt them.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
34 needed from five. Should be a cakewalk unless they implode.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bad, bad fielding. It was hit hard down the ground alright but goes through the hands of the diving Warner. For four too. And follows it up with a chip over mid-wicket for the second four of the over. Surprised to see him bowl when Maxwell's three overs cost him only 15. 4/104 in the 15th
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Aaron Finch has now been given the ball. 43 needed from six.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Mathews and Thirimanne have started out really well. Quick running between the wickets too. 4/94 in 13.4