Sri Lanka end their tour of Australia with the second Twenty20 International that will be played on Monday at the MCG.
We’ll bring you the live coverage of the action throughout this T20I at MCG from 7.35pm AEST on January 28.
It was a strange game for the Australia, the first one. They ended up with a batsman who scored an unbeaten 90 and a three bowlers who had figures of 2/21, 1/19 and 2/15 in a total of 11 overs. Still they lost the game.
Dave Warner’s was a special knock. As the rest of the batsmen from either team showed, it was a difficult pitch to score runs on and yet Warner, without being at his explosive best, smacked a 62-ball 90.
It was the other end that was a problem and a big one. In the remaining 58 balls Australian batsmen scored only 43 runs. This will need to be rectified in the second game with more attempts to rotate the strike around and aggressive running between the wickets.
Australia’s fifth bowler was expected to be the issue going into their first game but it turned out to be Ben Laughlin’s 0/46 in 3.5 overs than turned it around for the Sri Lankans.
The home’s decision to go in with a pack of inexperienced bowlers to assist Mitchell Starc back-fired majorly but James Faulkner is their only other option in the wings.
Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews had a bad start to his day with the ball (0/39 in four) but it was his sturdy presence at the crease that saw his team to the win later.
Bowling-wise Sri Lanka had Nuwan Kulasekara and Lasith Malinga continue to torment Australia and that does not look like changing any time soon. How Australia play the rest of the bowlers will be the key in this second game.
Aaron Finch hasn’t been able to convert his domestic form into international runs so far but trust him to come out hard. Shaun Marsh’s return to international cricket was a forgettable one and he will be gunning for a longer stay at the crease too.
For Sri Lanka T Dilshan will hope to be fully fit for the game after he was hit on his head by a bouncer and needed pitch-side attention. Mahela Jayawardene’s poor form will be a concern too.
We will bring you the live coverage throughout the game from the MCG and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
Renegade
Guest
You obviously haven't seen many games of cricket then.....
dcnz
Guest
I think the other angle is inexperience.... Sri Lanka played the game and Maxwell got suckered. He lost his cool before the final ball and Perera just slid it past him. Maxwell was expecting a straight ball, which he could tonk over midwicket, backed away, suckered...
Jake
Guest
Who is Micheal Bevan?
Ollie
Guest
No need to dwell on Maxwell and Wade's childish behavior, stick to hating on Shaun Marsh who single handedly has lost both Twenty20 matches for Australia, with his amazingly slow strike rate, yet the selectors just keep crawling back to him.
MrKistic
Guest
Sure. Then we can play cricket all winter too. I can't see any problems with that.
MrKistic
Guest
Well yes, he was in rare company, given that it was only him and the umpire telling them to get on with it. Of course the umpire went at them twice so what kind of an arrogant bludger must he be??
Matt h
Guest
I would think that maxwell, Warner, wade, perera and maybe even jawardene may lose some match fees over this. Good on bailey for trying to pull them apart. Where was Matthews? And where we're the umpires?
belinda
Guest
The best match I have ever seen, the only dissapointment was how it didn't end up with a fist fight :D
Gordon Smith
Guest
Is there a culture of aggression and arrogance in Vic cricket - we saw it in the Big Bash and it was the Vics that were the most aggressive tonight - Perhaps Warne has left a legacy?
julia
Guest
I am very dissapointed about our team, the way they behaved. :(
Red Kev
Guest
It's more the hypocrisy after all the extra time that Bailey has taken in the field in death overs in previous games that was the problem. Plus Maxwell is a smarmy tool. Glad they lost. Ugly Australians.
BrisBliss
Guest
Your only a good winner as you are a gracious loser Warner and Wade carrying on like children -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Dean
Guest
Absolutey unacceptable behaviour from Maxell.
Nihar
Guest
Very arrogant behaviour from Maxwell, who is he to tell the bowler to hurry up on the last ball of the day, everyone likes players to be confident but he was just plain arrogance, he should have focused his energy on hitting the four off the last ball rather then worrying about the Sri Lankan team.
Roarsome
Guest
and after it was all setting down, one hit Warner had to open his mouth during the handshakes.
Dan Ced
Guest
Yes, I don't think you can play Laughlin again after those 2 T20's... especially when you have Cutting on the sidelines. Although.. keeping Laughlin in would be predictable by the selectors, who are clearly trying to run Aus cricket into the ground.
abnutta
Guest
Terrific drama. That young Turk now looks a fool in my eyes. Getting all swollen up and taking in air.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
I must say that despite those two fours that Maxwell helped himself to, he would have done well to let the Lankans take their time out. Cannot help but feel he let that outburst affect him more than it hurt the Lankans, but hindsight is obviously a wonderful thing. Still a close game that was almost ruined by weather...Sri Lanka win it by a whisker and the series 2-0. Good end to the tour for them after they lost the Tests 3-0. Been really enjoyable bringing the tour to you...hope you enjoyed the coverage too! Will be back with the West Indies series from February 1.
dcnz
Guest
Now the Aussies know what its like to be viciously sledged at....
Gordon smith
Guest
Maxwell behaved like a school child after the match and what was wades problem.