Australia
Match Complete
Sri Lanka
| 3/158 Australia win by 7 wickets |
| 0/22 (3.3) | *Kumara | O: 16.3 | Finch* | 31 (42) |
| 1/23 (3.0) | Theekshana | RR:8.46 | Stoinis | 59 (18) |
| c. sub b. Karunaratne |  | 12.2 3/89 |  | Maxwell 23(12) |
| c. Rajapaksa b. de Silva | | 8.3 2/60 | | Marsh 18(17) |
| c. Shanaka b. Theekshana | | 4.1 1/26 | | Warner 11(10) |
| First Innings: Sri Lanka | 6/157 | RR: 6.73 | O: 20.0 |
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| First Innings: Sri Lanka | 6/157 | RR: 6.73 | O: 20.0 |
|---|
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P. Nissanka run out (Marsh) | 40 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 88.89 |
B.K.G. Mendis+ c. Marsh b. Cummins | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 |
D.M. de Silva c. Warner b. Agar | 26 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 113.04 |
K.I.C. Asalanka not out | 38 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 152.00 |
P.B.B. Rajapaksa c. Cummins b. Starc | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140.00 |
M.D. Shanaka* c. Wade b. Maxwell | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
P.W.H. De Silva c. Wade b. Hazlewood | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
C. Karunaratne not out | 14 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 200.00 |
C.B.R.L.S. Kumara | |||||
K.B.U. Fernando | |||||
M.M. Theekshana | |||||
Extras (b 6, lb 5, w 12, nb 0) | 23 | ||||
| Total | 157 | ||||
| Bowlers | O | M | R | W | Ec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.R. Hazlewood | 4.0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 6.50 |
| P.J. Cummins | 4.0 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 9.00 |
| M.A. Starc | 4.0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 5.75 |
| A.C. Agar | 4.0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 6.25 |
| M.P. Stoinis | 2.0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 8.50 |
| M.R. Marsh | 1.0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14.00 |
| G.J. Maxwell | 1.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5.00 |
| First Innings: Australia | 3/158 | RR: 8.46 | O: 16.3 |
|---|
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D.A. Warner c. Shanaka b. Theekshana | 11 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 110.00 |
A.J. Finch* not out | 31 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 73.81 |
M.R. Marsh c. Rajapaksa b. de Silva | 18 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 105.88 |
G.J. Maxwell c. sub b. Karunaratne | 23 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 191.67 |
M.P. Stoinis not out | 59 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 327.78 |
T.H. David | |||||
M.S. Wade+ | |||||
A.C. Agar | |||||
P.J. Cummins | |||||
M.A. Starc | |||||
J.R. Hazlewood | |||||
Extras (b 4, lb 2, w 10, nb 0) | 16 | ||||
| Total | 158 | ||||
| Bowlers | O | M | R | W | Ec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K.B.U. Fernando | 0.5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6.00 |
| D.M. de Silva | 2.1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 8.31 |
| C.B.R.L.S. Kumara | 3.3 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 6.29 |
| C. Karunaratne | 3.0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 7.00 |
| M.M. Theekshana | 3.0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 7.67 |
| P.W.H. De Silva | 3.0 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 17.67 |
| M.D. Shanaka | 1.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10.00 |
After a nightmare start to the T20 World Cup, Australia will be out to bounce back quickly in a must-win clash with an in-form Sri Lanka. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 10pm (AEDT).
The current holders have some soul-searching to do following a thrashing at the hands of Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.
From the first over, Australia were behind playing catch-up thanks to a match-winning cameo from Finn Allen. Aaron Finch cannot afford to start with Mitchell Starc with the ball, and should make a statement with either Josh Hazlewood or Pat Cummins bowling the first over.
With the bat, it was an off day as the Aussie batters’ aggressive intent did not pay off and just fell apart. On a Perth wicket with truer bounce, they can play their shots more confidently with a line-up stacked with power hitters. They should avoid panicking and bringing Steve Smith to the team, and give their top seven another opportunity to fire.
Sri Lanka had a professional performance against Ireland at Hobart, and will look to build on that. They will hope Pathum Nissanka comes back from injury and strengthens their XI.
Kusal Mendis heads in with back-to-back fifties, and the aggressive keeper-batter is hoping for another strong shoing. Lahiru Kumara continues to impress with the ball, and will enjoy bowling at Perth.
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana could find himself dropped due to conditions, with one of Kasun Rajitha or Pramod Madushan coming in as a fourth seamer.
Prediction
Australia can’t afford to take this game lightly. Their net run rate is poor, and they can’t expect it to change without a serious lift in their performance.
With the extra bounce at Perth, adaptability is key for Sri Lanka’s batters. Can they adapt in time? I don’t think so. I’m backing Australia to win, but it won’t be a walk in the park.
Game information
Venue: Optus Stadium, Pert
First ball: 10pm (AEDT)
TV: Fox Cricket, Channel Nine
Live stream: Kayo Sports, 9Now
Odds: Australia $1.22, Sri Lanka $4.30 – odds via PlayUp
Teams
Australia
Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Sri Lanka
Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Ashen Bandara, Dhananjaya de Silva, Binura Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Pramod Madushan, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kasun Rajitha, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Agar hardly gets a bat but, when he does, he regularly gets his 10 to 20 off 10 to 15 balls. There have been innings where he has come in for an over or two…or less and just holed out going for a boundary, but that is no indication of batting ability. It just means he is batting for the team. Even when they opened with him for a few games, he got his 10-25 runs, showing his capacity. If they allowed him to settle, he’d pay off in spades. As a bowler, he is amongst the best in the world at his craft. Maxwell is a filler like Marsh, not an alternative spinner.
matth
Roar Guru
The only reason to leave out Agar is if they decide they have to have three pace bowlers and then use Maxwell as the second spinner and bowl him four overs. He's not as good as Agar with the ball obviously, but is pretty okay in this format. I've been fine with that approach as it won us the World Cup last year with our superior batting depth and Agar's batting has just never got there as a number 7 for Australia. But then they don't even bowl Maxwell in this World Cup, preferring Stoinis and Marsh? And this is after him bowling 3 of 4 over per game all season and doing a good job. Why? So if they have lost faith in Maxwells bowling for whatever reason, then Agar MUST play, because we need two spinners in T20's and he is one of the better ones. And if Agar is not up to batting at pace at number 7, then he MUST play at 8 and drop a pace bowler.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The strange thing is, we don't even consider anything else. Aussie selection seems to think, "Australia? We have hard wickets, the ball won't spin, let's play trundlers instead." They don't seem to consider that our most successful finger spinners, Lyon with a red ball and Agar with a white ball, don't rely on spin but bounce, flight and variations of pace. Would you prefer Cummins bowling 115 kph off spinners or Agar bowling from 85kph to 110 kph? One knows the craft, one goes for 10/11 an over.
matth
Roar Guru
It's been a structural issue with our T20 play for a decade now. we rely on pace, others rely on spin.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
No matter how many times I look at the replay I can't see gloves and he's almost upright. Perhaps my eyes are just too old to be an umpire anymore....
Terry
Guest
Just admit you hate Pat and get on with it
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I'm gargling as soon as I finish this reply.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
He won matches with Wade in the last WC. He’s just won another. Players who can win matches off their own bat/ball aren’t growing on trees. Maxy’s contribution was also critical. Green in for Finch and Ellis for Cummins. Neither will happen though
Alchemist
Roar Rookie
Wash your mouth out. They're never going to drop the golden boy.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Both should play with Cummins out.
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
That sums his night up!
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
Ha! Well supported with hit miss hit singles
Alchemist
Roar Rookie
Should be picked ahead of Zampa regardless!
Jules
Roar Rookie
I'd prefer to see Stoinis open at the MCG (where he's done it a lot) and Green (or Smith) down the order. On merit, Finch and Cummins clearly both need to be dropped as you say, but they're both captains in one of the most conservatively selected sporting teams in the world.
Alchemist
Roar Rookie
Been missing for longer than that. Hasn't struck a blow at BBL level for a few yrs now.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Thanks Arnab.
JVGO
Guest
Well this tournament certainly already has everything from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
He did have 3 innings.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Great effort. We now move past Ireland in the run rate.
Alchemist
Roar Rookie
Probably a ploy by the Lankans to keep him in!