Australia
drew first blood as David Warner helped them post a tough target for
Sri Lanka to chase. Despite a gallant fight back by their lower order,
Sri Lanka had to taste defeat as their top order did not bat long enough
on a true ODI track.
Sri
Lanka, already having an edge over Australia in the series with 3 wins
in 4 matches, went into the first final with a psychological advantage.
Dhammika Prasad, Farveez Maharoof and Upul Tharanga were all back for
them. Angelo Mathews was out injured. For Australia, regular skipper
Michael Clarke was back from injury, replacing Forrest. Clint McKay made
way for Brett Lee.
Clarke won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat first on a true batting pitch. Openers Matthew Wade and David Warner made full use of the surface as they played their natural aggressive game. Wade, in particular, came hard on Malinga by depositing one of his slower ones up and over deep midwicket followed by a crunching cut for four.
Warner showed his class by hitting boundaries and sixes, at times at will, on both sides of the ground. Play was disturbed for 10 minutes due to rain but Sri Lanka could not break the momentum of Australian openers who put on 136 in 24 overs. Wade reached his 50 before Warner, but the latter raced passed him by thumping Prasad for two fours and a pulled six over long on.
A gallant effort by Herath at long on boundary resulted in first breakthrough as Wade went after scoring 64 off 72 balls with 4 fours and a six. Watson scored 21 but Christian and David Hussey, both promoted to make use of the batting powerplay, failed to kick on. In the meantime, Warner had scored his maiden ODI hundred, a magnificent effort off just 111 balls. He got able support in the form of Michael Clarke who scored freely before departing for a 25-ball 37 which included 5 crisp boundaries.
Michael Hussey hit two sixes in the closing overs to help post a daunting total of 321 for 6. Wonder boy Warner was out on the last ball of the innings, bowled by Prasad, for 163 which took just 157 balls and included 13 fours and 2 sixes. Prasad took 2 scalps but the best bowler proved to be Dilshan who just gave away 35 runs in 9 overs.
Sri Lanka knew they had a daunting task ahead against in-form Australian pace attack. Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan started briskly but they did not last long. Brett Lee removed Jayawardene in the 5th over at the score of 39. Lee then accounted for Dilshan by bowling him through the gate to give Australia early advantage.
Sangakkara started with three consecutive boundaries off Pattinson but lost his partner Dinesh Chandimal who was struggling to put the ball away. Shortly after posting Sri Lanka’s hundred, Sangakkara too perished as he tried to loft Lee over mid off. He scored 42 off 49 balls but Sri Lanka needed some one to score a big knock.
At the end of 30.1 overs, Sri Lanka were 144 for 6, still needing to score at 8.9 runs an over with just 4 wickets left. They looked down and out at this stage but Tharanga and Nuwan Kulasekara had other ideas. Both played fearlessly and put on a magnificent 104 runs in just 11.3 overs to threaten Australians once again. It was a remarkable partnership epitomized by quick running between the wickets and sensible hitting. They collected 68 runs during the batting powerplay. Australians looked for a breakthrough desperately as they feared another 5 overs of these two would seal the turn around.
Kulasekara had two chances, one was a difficult one and the other a sitter spilt by wade, but his hitting was a treat to watch. He raced to his 50 in just 33 balls. To the utter disappointment of large Sri Lankan contingent, Kula had to leave the scene at a crucial juncture. After hitting two slog-swept sixes off David Hussey, he scooped one straight to extra cover who made no mistake. Kula’s innings of 73 off 43 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes at number 8 had given Sri Lanka an outside chance to pull off from a hopeless position.
His departure meant Sri Lanka were gasping again, with 74 needed off 8.2 overs. Prasad too showed resistance but Tharanga was dismissed by Watson for a 67-ball 60 to put Australia firmly on top. Prasad (31 0ff 21 balls) threw his bat at every thing but they were all out in the last over, 15 short of the target. David Hussey took 4 for 43 in 8 overs, while Lee and Watson grabbed 3 apiece.
It was a stunning effort from Sri Lankan lower order but the real damage had been done at the top. David Warner was named Man of the Match for his sparkling hundred. The second final, on March 6, will be played in Adelaide and Australia would go with a 1-0 advantage, but Sri Lankans would feel they have the armoury to challenge Australia.
Summarised Scores:
Australia 321/6 (Warner 163, Wade 64; Prasad 2/51) beat Sri Lanka 306 (Kulasekara 73, Tharanga 60; D Hussey 4/43) by run 15 runs
Man of the Match: David Warner
Credit: AFP (Image)
Match Report: 1st Final, Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, 4 March 2012 – D/N
Clarke won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat first on a true batting pitch. Openers Matthew Wade and David Warner made full use of the surface as they played their natural aggressive game. Wade, in particular, came hard on Malinga by depositing one of his slower ones up and over deep midwicket followed by a crunching cut for four.
Warner showed his class by hitting boundaries and sixes, at times at will, on both sides of the ground. Play was disturbed for 10 minutes due to rain but Sri Lanka could not break the momentum of Australian openers who put on 136 in 24 overs. Wade reached his 50 before Warner, but the latter raced passed him by thumping Prasad for two fours and a pulled six over long on.
A gallant effort by Herath at long on boundary resulted in first breakthrough as Wade went after scoring 64 off 72 balls with 4 fours and a six. Watson scored 21 but Christian and David Hussey, both promoted to make use of the batting powerplay, failed to kick on. In the meantime, Warner had scored his maiden ODI hundred, a magnificent effort off just 111 balls. He got able support in the form of Michael Clarke who scored freely before departing for a 25-ball 37 which included 5 crisp boundaries.
Michael Hussey hit two sixes in the closing overs to help post a daunting total of 321 for 6. Wonder boy Warner was out on the last ball of the innings, bowled by Prasad, for 163 which took just 157 balls and included 13 fours and 2 sixes. Prasad took 2 scalps but the best bowler proved to be Dilshan who just gave away 35 runs in 9 overs.
Sri Lanka knew they had a daunting task ahead against in-form Australian pace attack. Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan started briskly but they did not last long. Brett Lee removed Jayawardene in the 5th over at the score of 39. Lee then accounted for Dilshan by bowling him through the gate to give Australia early advantage.
Sangakkara started with three consecutive boundaries off Pattinson but lost his partner Dinesh Chandimal who was struggling to put the ball away. Shortly after posting Sri Lanka’s hundred, Sangakkara too perished as he tried to loft Lee over mid off. He scored 42 off 49 balls but Sri Lanka needed some one to score a big knock.
At the end of 30.1 overs, Sri Lanka were 144 for 6, still needing to score at 8.9 runs an over with just 4 wickets left. They looked down and out at this stage but Tharanga and Nuwan Kulasekara had other ideas. Both played fearlessly and put on a magnificent 104 runs in just 11.3 overs to threaten Australians once again. It was a remarkable partnership epitomized by quick running between the wickets and sensible hitting. They collected 68 runs during the batting powerplay. Australians looked for a breakthrough desperately as they feared another 5 overs of these two would seal the turn around.
Kulasekara had two chances, one was a difficult one and the other a sitter spilt by wade, but his hitting was a treat to watch. He raced to his 50 in just 33 balls. To the utter disappointment of large Sri Lankan contingent, Kula had to leave the scene at a crucial juncture. After hitting two slog-swept sixes off David Hussey, he scooped one straight to extra cover who made no mistake. Kula’s innings of 73 off 43 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes at number 8 had given Sri Lanka an outside chance to pull off from a hopeless position.
His departure meant Sri Lanka were gasping again, with 74 needed off 8.2 overs. Prasad too showed resistance but Tharanga was dismissed by Watson for a 67-ball 60 to put Australia firmly on top. Prasad (31 0ff 21 balls) threw his bat at every thing but they were all out in the last over, 15 short of the target. David Hussey took 4 for 43 in 8 overs, while Lee and Watson grabbed 3 apiece.
It was a stunning effort from Sri Lankan lower order but the real damage had been done at the top. David Warner was named Man of the Match for his sparkling hundred. The second final, on March 6, will be played in Adelaide and Australia would go with a 1-0 advantage, but Sri Lankans would feel they have the armoury to challenge Australia.
Summarised Scores:
Australia 321/6 (Warner 163, Wade 64; Prasad 2/51) beat Sri Lanka 306 (Kulasekara 73, Tharanga 60; D Hussey 4/43) by run 15 runs
Man of the Match: David Warner
Credit: AFP (Image)
Published in SportPulse.net on 3/4/12
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