Wellalage, Hasaranga and Asitha Fernando shared all the wickets as Australia folded for 107 in pursuit of 282
Tristan Lavalette14-Feb-2025A shorthanded Australia will enter the Champions Trophy bereft of confidence and desperate for answers after a hefty 2-0 ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka’s massive 174-run victory in the second ODI in Colombo was set up by Kusal Mendis and captain Charith Asalanka powering them to 281. Kusal made 101 off 115 balls, and had strong partnerships with Asalanka and Nishan Madushka, before Australia were routed for just 107 in the 25th over.It was Sri Lanka’s largest ODI victory over Australia, who recorded their equal eighth-lowest total in the format. Australia were comprehensively outplayed through the entire match. Their seam-bowling stocks have been decimated, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis missing this series and the Champions Trophy for various reasons.With Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis rested, left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis was given an opportunity and bowled tidily with the new ball. Sean Abbott rebounded from a sloppy performance in the first ODI to finish with 1 or 41 off ten overs. Legspinner Tanveer Sangha played his first ODI in 16 months, but returned figures of 0 for 34 from five overs.But Australia again struggled in the backend, with their death bowling looming as a major concern ahead of the Champions Trophy. Chasing 282 loomed as a tough task for their batters too, but Australia’s batting order was bolstered by the inclusions of Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell with Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey and Marnus Labuschagne making way.After his century in the first ODI, Charith Asalanka scored 78* in the second•AFP/Getty Images
However, Australia capitulated on what had appeared a relatively benign surface in a batting effort even worse than their 165 all out in game one. They succumbed to quick Asitha Fernando early before crumbling against spinners Dunith Wellalage and Wanindu Hasaranga, who claimed seven wickets between them.Having made a second-ball duck in the opener, Matt Short scored just 2 on Friday before misjudging a delivery from Asitha that skidded on and trapped him lbw. Short reviewed forlornly, and it was another disappointment, after having struggled against Pakistan in the white-ball series in November.With Head returning, Jake Fraser-McGurk slid down to No. 3, and it briefly looked like doing the trick after he whacked a couple of boundaries. But when on 9, Fraser-McGurk was undone by a slower ball from Asitha, and fell tamely to continue a run of recent low scores, bar a 95 off 46 balls for Melbourne Renegades in their final BBL game against Brisbane Heat.Head had started in trademark belligerent fashion with consecutive boundaries off Asitha, but the dismissals of Short and Fraser-McGurk disrupted his rhythm, and on 18 holed, he out to Asitha at deep square leg.It was left to stand-in skipper Steven Smith and Inglis to steady the ship, and they raised Australia’s hopes with a 46-run fourth-wicket partnership. The two noted players of spin ticked the scoreboard over, but Inglis appeared to have been lucky on 18 when he was stumped by Kusal off Hasaranga only to be given not out although replays suggested he did not have his foot behind the line.Steven Smith’s outstanding tour finished after falling lbw to Wanindu Hasaranga•Getty Images
But it didn’t matter because he was soon bowled by Wellalage, who was on a roll when he also dismissed Glenn Maxwell with a lovely flighted delivery that hit the top of off stump. Smith had looked supreme earlier in his innings, but his team’s predicament proved too difficult even for him. His outstanding tour finished on a sour note after falling lbw to Hasaranga, and he reviewed in vain as Australia’s lower order offered little resistance.It was Australia’s sixth loss from their last eight ODIs, and they will enter the Champions Trophy unfancied. In contrast, Sri Lanka won their ninth ODI from their last 13 matches, but probably have bittersweet emotions as they are not part of the Champions Trophy after a horrid 2023 World Cup.But they should at least momentarily enjoy a strong series victory, having backed up their remarkable turnaround 49-run win in the opener at the same venue. Asalanka once again elected to bat and hoped for an improved batting performance after their top-order struggles in the opener. Dwarshuis took the new ball in Johnson’s absence, but it was Aaron Hardie who dismissed a frustrated Pathum Nissanka for 6 off 20 deliveries.Hardie had performed strongly in game one with sharp seam movement from a back of a length, but quickly realised this surface was flatter, and thus reverted to attacking the stumps. Having only returned to bowling at the backend of the BBL, Hardie hit the deck hard and looked physically strong in a positive for Australia ahead of the Champions Trophy.Kusal, who scored twin fifties in the second Test, sparkled from the get-go and played the new ball with ease as his partnership with Madushka blossomed. Replacing Avishka Fernando at the top of the order, Madushka was decisive in his movements and strong off the back foot as Smith turned to spin.Dunith Wellalage was on a roll•Getty Images
In a fairly uncommon sight these days, legspin was utilised at both ends, with Sangha and Adam Zampa bowling in tandem. Playing his third ODI and the first since just before the 2023 World Cup, Sangha was coming off a strong backend to the BBL where he had helped Sydney Thunder reach the final. But he failed to threaten while Zampa improved from his sub-par performance in the first ODI; but a breakthrough was not forthcoming.Kusal whacked Zampa for consecutive boundaries to reach his half-century off as many balls, and also Madushka soon reached his milestone as they closed in on a century partnership. But Madushka was unable to kick on, and hit a well-directed bouncer from Dwarshuis straight down the throat of Zampa at fine leg.Just as he has through the tour, Smith trusted his gut instincts, and the reintroduction of Abbott worked a treat when out-of-form Kamindu Mendis chopped on to his stumps for 4.After his extraordinary ton in the first game, Asalanka started nervously when he mis-hit Zampa only for Maxwell to misjudge the high ball, and he was unable to take a trademark miraculous catch this time around.Asalanka found his groove and combined brilliantly with Kusal, who registered his fifth ODI century before holing out to Zampa in the 45th over. But Asalanka, who finished unbeaten on 78 from 66 balls, continued on his merry way along with Janith Liyanage to lift Sri Lanka to a formidable total that proved well beyond a beleaguered Australia