An 87-run win might look comfortable on paper for Australia, but their fourth win in five starts at the Cricket World Cup against Sri Lanka was anything but.
While the pitch at The Oval in London was hard to get a read on from the outset, seemingly a little slow and two-paced, Australia were sent in to bat first and made it look a lot harder than it needed to be early on.
Even though captain Aaron Finch picked up where he left off in Taunton, David Warner (26 off 48) and Usman Khawaja (10 off 20) both struggled to get going, and against some quality Sri Lankan bowling, had left their team in a hole at 2 for 100.
Finch, however, was having no such problems, having taken a liking to Lasith Malinga during his opening spell and playing the spin of Dhanajaya de Silva quite well.
The Aussie captain finally found a willing ally in Steve Smith and the pair set about building a potentially match-winning partnership.
Smith barely took a risk in his innings, but simply fed the strike to Finch, who crossed his century and started to motor, taking it out on a Sri Lankan attack who didn’t bowl poorly, but simply weren’t consistent enough to build any pressure.
Finch eventually fell for 153 from 132 balls, before Smith followed him the following over for 73 from 59. The timing was hardly what Australia wanted, leaving them with two fresh batsmen at the crease with just 39 balls remaining in the innings, but the score of 4 for 278 meant a strong platform had been built.
While Australia left some runs on the ground thanks for to some excellent death bowling from Malinga and Isuru Udana, Glenn Maxwell’s 46 off 25 motored Australia to a commanding 7 for 334.
Maxwell would have a major role to play with the ball as well following an start to the run chase at breakneck speed.
While Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera were helped along by some awful short bowling from Australia’s four quicks, who all got a crack during the powerplay, they made the most of it, playing with excellent intent and looking to put every bad ball away.
By the end of the powerplay, Sri Lanka were sitting pretty with no wickets lost and the highest powerplay total of the tournament, having 87 runs on the board.
However, the Lions didn’t stick to their guns and struggled to get Maxwell away once he came into the attack. Combined with a couple of wickets starting to fall, Australia clawed their way back into the game.
Maxwell was the pick of the bowlers despite not taking a wicket, finishing the ten overs for the fifth bowler with 0 for 46 from his ten.
While the quicks continued to struggle, there was more good than bad during the second half of the innings, with Sri Lanka letting the asking rate simply get too high before Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc were brought back inside the final 20 overs to wrap things up.
Karunaratne would accelerate on to 97 from 108 balls, but even the back end of his innings became bogged down, and with a regular fall of wickets in the tail, the last ten or so overs of the game always felt like a matter of when, not if, Australia would confirm their spot at the top of the Cricket World Cup table ahead of their next clash on Thursday with Bangladesh.
Match summary
Australia: 7/334 (50) (Aaron Finch 153, Steve Smith 73, Glenn Maxwell 46*, Dhananjaya de Silva 2/40, Isuru Udana 2/57) defeat Sri Lanka 10/247 (45.5) (Dimuth Karunaratne 97, Kusal Perera 52, Mitchell Starc 4/55, Kane Richardson 3/47) by 87 runs
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Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
The 11 players selected beat the West Indies. Have a look at the sheet if you didn't watch the India v Pakistan game and see how remarkably similar India's innings was for a similar score. It's easier on these wickets to score earlier, that has equated to high early run rates and an attempt to maintain that against old balls stuck in the pitch while losing wickets because it's hard to get started or slog against the older ball. We need to look at the tournament, not what the flow of games on roads produced weeks ago. These wickets aren't conducive to a fast start leading to wickets in hand crescendo cricket. By all accounts the weather is expected to clear this week and if the tracks get the chance to flatten out the rest of the tournament may very well revert to ODI formula cricket, but as India showed, more than just Australia has found a different way to post competitive and winning scores. There's no rule book, play the tournament in front of you.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Even if he continues as he is and plays a Mark Waugh role to Finchs' Gilchrist and keeps putting 50+ opening stands it's a success. Australia's opening partnership is one crickets most feared, don't try and fix something that isn't broken.
Spinosum
Roar Rookie
Sorry 13th Man, we must get Khawaja back opening with Finch, Smith at first drop, Warner at 4, Maxwell 5, S/M Marsh 6 (I don't come from WA), Carey, Cummins, Starc, Zampa, Lyon. Maxwell has shown his skill with the ball and with added overs from Smith and Finch we should be firing. Wish them all the best!
Rob
Guest
It’s a bit relative to how many bats you’re getting against who and on what surface. The Australian haven’t missed any games. They dodged a loss against the West Indies through NCN, they were never in the contest against India. Warner has looked a bit stodgy and out of sorts against India, West Indies and now Sri Lanka. Are Australia going that well or just ticking the boxes?
AREH
Roar Guru
Agree – almost the perfect mix of what this batting unit lacks at present. Just a slightly more dynamic option than S.Marsh, better at shifting gears and definitely more capable of going hard immediately if required. Missed a trick with his exclusion.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
No i wouldn't experiment with top 3. Smith should bat at 3. He is someone who is very difficult to get out, even if there is a early wicket, he will be fail safe. India doesnt experiment with kohli. As for as khawaja, i agree/ In opening, even for his slow starting, he almost makes run a ball, like Indian openers. In other positions, there are other batsman who can do better than him, though i am not sold that would be marsh, here is where handscomb is missing.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I agree. Warner has at various times the most feared batsmen in the world. He’s taking some stick for pulling his head to try n build an innings? He hasn’t been a failure; just slower than normal. What if Ponting is correct and he becomes the WC highest run-getter? Stick with him at opening and he’ll repay the favour.
AREH
Roar Guru
And I'm a fan of M.Marsh at 7, too. Hard-hitting from ball one at the back end if needed, perhaps slightly more so than Carey - although, he has grown superbly into the no. 7 role, so probably not worth fidgeting with that now.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
That's my team also. S Marsh in over UK for superior fielding.
13th Man
Guest
Again, we are winning the games we need to win and look set to make the semi finals but I still have my doubts that this bowling attack will really threaten England, New Zealand and India. It does look like they will be the other 3 sides in the semis. I think Lyon has to play soon, adds control in the middle overs and is will be keen to make an impact. Kane Richardson is an absolute plodder, potentially the most average cricketer to ever play in a world cup for Australia, and we have Hazelwood just sitting there twiddling his thumbs. I think we can't have Uzzy and Marsh playing together from now on. I don't favour either option but one of Stoinis or Mitch Marsh is a superior option. If Stoinis isn't fit to play against Bangladesh put a line through him and bring in Mitch. We need his power hitting as well. 3rd seamer still a massive issue but I saw enough in Dorff, after his first couple of overs went the journey, that he might be the one. Warner Finch Smith S Marsh/Khawaja Maxwell M Marsh Carey Cummins Starc Lyon Dorff
AREH
Roar Guru
I'd almost rather S.Marsh in the top 3 Kopa? In white ball cricket anyway. I remain of the opinion that you open with Khawaja or don't play him at all, and it's almost doing him a disservice playing him out of his strongest position.
Rob
Guest
Maxwell had the opener plumb but the excitable Richardson had blown the review earlier. Australia were lucky the SriLankian tail starts after 4 with Mathews batting at 5 averaging 8runs in his last 6 bats and Scoring 10 runs total in his last 4.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
last week of June/early July - forecast is for warmer mostly drier conditions across most of UK, so maybe that comes into play re tactics/selection.
ForwardsWinMatches
Guest
Ok, I’ll live with Smith Marsh at 3 and 4. Bigger concern is bowling and I don’t see any of NCN, Richardson, Behrendorff or Stoinis causing any problems for other teams on these wickets. Unfortunately we have to depend very heavily on Starc and Cummins - they were very poor to start last night but let’s hope it was just an anomaly. I can’t understand the selection of Richardson and think his involvement in the last 2 games has set us back in terms of working out what our best team is. Perhaps they already know?? Makes you wonder why Lyon is even there.
Rellum
Roar Guru
There seems to be a line of thinking that the wicket is best for bowling in the first innings for the games starting in the morning over there. I think that is why teams want to bowl first
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Also, our next game is Bangladesh. Is that the right opponent to be loading up with spinners against? After that's it's England and I think we want to keep experimentation to a minimum for that challenge.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I agree. I'm not suggesting UK and SM in same team. In fact my position is they can't both play. I think Smith at 3 because you maximise his availability. S Marsh at 4 still has time to settle in and accelerate. Yep again I do like the idea of Lyon/Zampa together as gives us option to slow down leak of runs if it's an option. But just worry if Starc or Cummins having off day, we are left exposed.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Sri Lanka recent retirements since WC 2015 - Kumar Sangakara, Mahela Jayawadene, Rengana Herath, Tilakaratne Dilshan. Malinga not as potent as he once was (though still very good and exceptional in T20 where only 4 overs required) and Angelo Matthews struggling to regain touch since coming back from hamstring.
ForwardsWinMatches
Guest
All viable options but you can’t have Khawaja and S Marsh. I’d try S Marsh now and I think he has to be at 3. Needs time to set and then he can accelerate. I’d see 30 overs out of a combination of Lyon, Zampa, M Marsh, Maxwell and (possibly) Finch. The two favourites for this comp have 2 front line spinners each. I’m not saying we copy them but why wouldn’t we try this when our change bowlers have been very ordinary so far.
Paul
Roar Guru
exactly right Josh. I'd love to see the two spinners bowling in tandem, though in fairness, the pitches and overcast/cold conditions have favoured the quicks. Hopefully it will warm up a bit in the coming weeks so Lyon & Zampa can bowl together.