Australia restrict Sri Lanka to 160 despite Chamika Karunaratne 75

Innings break Sri Lanka 160 all out (Chamika 75, Hazlewood 2-22, Cummins 2-22) vs Australia

Even on a track taking significant turn, however, this is some distance from being a competitive total.

Save for Finch’s dropped catch to reprieve Karunaratne on 61, Australia fielded well again, effecting two run-outs as miscommunication between the wickets continued to cost Sri Lanka. The hosts only batted 43.1 overs, until Karunaratne top-edged Cummins high into the air, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey got under the chance.

Sri Lanka had been 34 for 3, which had been the scoreline from which they made a strong recovery in the fourth ODI, but this time there was no Dhananjaya de Silva, who was out of this match with an illness. Dinesh Chandimal, his replacement, had been the third batter dismissed, holing out to long-on having made six.

And although Tuesday’s centurion Charith Asalanka appeared to be working himself nicely into the innings, he was run out thanks to a mix-up with Kusal Mendis. Asalanka hit the ball wide of sweeper cover and wanted two. Mendis turned him down for the second run too late, and Asalanka was found well short by the throw from Kuhnemann. He was out for 14.

The middle order unraveled quickly after that. The very next ball, Mendis was out after going too deep in his crease to hit Maxwell to leg, and treading on his stumps. Dunith Wellalage tried to launch Kuhnemann over mid-on and found Cummins. Dasun Shanaka was bowled by a straight one from the same bowler. And Jeffrey Vandersay became the second batter to be run-out, this time by an excellent direct hit from Marnus Labuschagne swooping in from point.

Karunaratne batted positively from the outset, finding the boundary with paddle sweeps, slog sweeps, and lofted shots down the ground. Madushan played sagely and stayed with him, seeking largely to turn the strike over and let Karunaratne make the big plays. The pair batted almost 17 overs together – Madushan soaking up 52 deliveries for his 15.

Karunaratne prospered on the legside, and got to his first ODI half-century off the 62nd ball faced. Madushan departed soon after, chipping a full Cameron Green delivery back at the bowler, who caught it at knee-height. Karunaratne then struck his two sixes – one over deep midwicket, and another one down the ground, both off the legspin of Labuschagne. Then he skied a short one off Cummins, and the innings was done.