March 8, 2012
Scorecard: Australia 231 (Wade 49, Warner 48, Herath 3-36, Maharoof 3-40) beat Sri Lanka 215 (Tharanga 71, McKay 5-28) by 16 runs
Clint McKay (5-28) helped Australia beat Sri Lanka by 16 runs in the deciding match of the three-game tri-series finals to win the CB series at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
March 8, 2012
Scorecard: Australia 231 (Wade 49, Warner 48, Herath 3-36, Maharoof 3-40) beat Sri Lanka 215 (Tharanga 71, McKay 5-28) by 16 runs
Clint McKay (5-28) helped Australia beat Sri Lanka by 16 runs in the deciding match of the three-game tri-series finals to win the CB series at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
McKay led the impressive Australian pace attack, they shared all the Lankan wickets, as the hosts bowled Sri Lanka out for 215 in 48.5 overs to win the finals 2-1.
Chasing 232-run target, Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals but remained in the hunt till the final 3-4 overs. Upul Tharanga led the Sri Lankan fightback with a patient knock of 71 off 122 balls as he stitched few valuable partnerships in the middle overs to keep Lanka in the hunt after they were reduce to 53/4 inside ten overs.
Brett Lee (3-59) and stand-in skipper Shane Watson (2-13) gave Mckay ample support as the trio shared all the ten Lankan wickets between them.
Lee dismissed Nuwan Kulasekara (15) to reduce Lankans to 172/7 in 38.5 overs soon after Kapugedera (7) became Clint McKay’s third victim in the 36th over.
Upal Tharanga completed his fifty off 94 balls with the help of three boundaries to keep one end intact for the islanders.
Pacers put Australia on the top in the CB series decider as they derailed Sri Lankan chase after the hosts were bowled out for a modest 231.
After Brett Lee sent back Tillakratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, Clint Mc Kay added to Lankan worries by dismissing Mahela Jayawardene and Chandimal in quick succession.
Sri Lanka were reeling at 53/4 when Upal Tharanga joined Thirimanne at the crease. The duo steadied the Lankan innings with a solid 60-run stand before Shane Watson ended Thirimanne’s challenge giving visitors the fifth blow.
Captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and sent the Australians into bat and his bowlers rewarded him by restricting Australia’s run chase and leaving the World Cup finalists around 4.6 runs an over to win the third final and the series.
Opening batsman Matthew Wade top scored with 49 off 74 balls and batting partner David Warner hit 48 off 45 balls for the home side, who were without their injured skipper Michael Clarke (hamstring) and paceman James Pattinson (strained buttock).
Farveez Maharoof claimed three for 40 off 10 overs, while left-arm spinner Rangana Herath picked up three for 36 from his 10 overs as well as taking a brilliant low catch to dismiss Australia’s stand-in skipper Shane Watson for 19.
The Australians got away to a breezy start with Wade and Warner scoring 75 off the opening 14 overs, but their progress stalled as Sri Lanka’s bowlers and fielders, coupled with Jayawardene’s imaginative captaincy, reeled in Australia’s run-rate.
The home side were 115 for one in the 21st over but fell away losing five wickets in the next 12 overs.
Veteran paceman Brett Lee hit 32 off 54 balls and Clint McKay 28 off 32, but Australia’s total looked under par on the same pitch that yielded 545 runs in Tuesday’s ODI, which Sri Lanka won by eight wickets with 34 balls to spare.
