Tharanga and Malinga bring Sri Lanka back into the series

Match Report - 3rd ODI: Sri Lanka v Australia, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota, Aug 16, 2011

Trailing in the series by two games to nil, Sri Lanka needed to bounce back strongly if they were to revive the series. And they bounced back in style, trouncing Australia with more than five overs to spare. It was a story of Tharanga, Malinga and debutant Eranga, who helped their team outsmart Australia in a must win match.

Angelo Mathews’s injury came as a bad news for the home side, as allrounder Shaminda Eranga made his debut, replacing Rangana Herath. Chamara Silva got a nod too, making him 7th batsman in a side strangely struggling in batting department. Australia, unchanged, again opted to field first after winning the toss.

Sri Lanka started nervously but gained momentum as Upul Tharanga, riding on his luck, and Dilshan settled in. Tharanga played and missed a lot but hung on. Both brought the hundred run partnership in the 20th over, as Tharanga, sneaking in the 4000 club, reached his fifty of 63 balls with 7 fours. Dilshan’s fifty came up in just 51 balls with 4 fours, as Sri Lanka threatened to post a daunting target for the men in yellow.

Dilshan was first to go, hitting straight to deep midwicket off Bollinger at the score of 139. Sangakkara had a perfect platform to play his strokes from the word go, and he did by launching David Hussey over long-on for a six. As Tharanga cruised to his century, albeit a stuttering one, Sangakkara picked Doherty for a four and a six coming down the wicket. Tharanga, eventually, brought up his hundred, 4th in year, off 128 balls with the help of 11 fours.

Sri Lanka, having reached 200 in the 36th over, looked to the well-set pair of Tharanga and Sangakkara to take them past 300. At the start of the batting powerplay in the 39th over, Australia got a chance to get back into the game by dismissing Sangakkara for 49 (37b 3x4 2x6). Review did not save him, as Bollinger had him in front. Two balls later, he removed Chandimal through a diving slip catch by Clarke. When in his next over, Tharanga nicked behind for 111, Australia were back in the game.

Sri Lanka, although kept losing wickets, did not lose momentum. Mahela Jayawardene’s little cameo of 36 made sure they reach 286 for 9, and give Australia the first real challenge of the ODI series. Doug Bollinger was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 42.

Australia’s start was disastrous, losing both openers for 18. It may have been three down, had Kulasekara held on to the return catch. Shaminda Eranga cleaned up Haddin, getting his first international wicket on his second ball. Ricky Ponting, who was hitting the ball well, gave overwhelming joy to the debutant, when he misread a slower one and was caught and bowled for 22.

Then the two Michaels, Clarke and Hussey, played solidly and brought Australia back into contention once again. Australia were 102 for 3 after 22 overs. When eranga dropped Hussey, it seemed the match could go to the wire. But it was not to be as Malinga came back to nip Clarke out for 46. The other Hussey, David, played on and the cat was among the pigeons for Australia.

At 138 for 5, Australia needed to score at more than 8 an over to win the match. Michael Hussey was the last hope, but he became Malinga’s next victim to leave his team reeling183 for 7. He played well for his 63 runs, which included 5 fours. Malinga polished the tail off as Aussies folded for 208 in the 45th over. Malinga, the destroyer, took 5 for 28, while Eranga bagged a couple on his ODI debut.

With this win, Sri Lanka not only have come back into the series, but have moved to the second spot in the ODI rankings.

Summarized Scores:

Sri Lanka 286/9 (Tharanga 111, Dilshan 55; Bollinger 4/ 42) beat Australia 208/10 in 44.2 overs (M Hussey 63, Malinga 5/28) by 78 runs

Series: Australia lead 5-match series by 2-1

ODI debut: RMS Eranga (Sri Lanka)

Man of the match: WU Tharanga (Sri Lanka)