Australia win by 64 runs in a run-feast
Well, that was a hell of a lot of fun. The Sri Lankans were always up against it chasing a mammoth 377, but through Tillakarante Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, they at least got off to a rip-roaring start in a partnership that got the SCG patrons up on their feet.
Dilshan made 62 at slightly better than a run a ball and Sangakkara’s 104 came from just 107 balls. It was an innings of typical class from the master craftsman. Once he departed at 201-4, Sri Lanka’s hopes appeared to be dashed but Dinesh Chandimal played his own minor gem - an undefeated 52 off 24 - before he had to retire hurt with cramp. With him went most of Sri Lanka’s remaining chance of winning, though Angelo Mathews (35) also battled hard.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Australia, either. Shane Watson went at over 10 per over and Xavier Doherty was on the receiving end of similar treatment. Johnson took two wickets but also went at 6.88 per over in his 9, but all of that seemed less important when Starc and Faulkner were bowling.
Starc finished with 2-29 off 8.2, figures that don’t actually reflect how well he bowled, while Faulker’s 3-48 from 9 showed what a linchpin he is for this side. The Aussies have some thinking to do though, especially deciding upon which is their ideal bowling formation. Tonight’s model didn’t quite nail it.
That’s all from me but thanks for joining us for all of the action from the SCG and make sure you stop by throughout the course of the next few weeks as this World Cup moves towards the business end.
WICKET! Senanayake c Doherty b Starc 7 (Sri Lanka 312-9 and all out)
Australia win by 64 runs with almost three full overs to spare when Senanayake - having sliced four to third man a ball earlier - spoons a Starc yorker into the hands of Doherty. With Chandimal out of action with that severe cramp, that ninth wicket kills off the game and the Aussies have won it by 64 runs.
They had some nervous moments with Dilshan and Sangakkara at the crease, then later when Chandimal got going, but they’ve finished it off nicely to post a handsome win. Reader Vinny Maddage is still impressed. “Cricket as it should be playe. Character, intent, aggression and pride. Regardless of the result, this is a strong display from the Sri Lankans.”
They’ll rue their awful bowling display though and their inability to curb Maxwell though, you’d think. He was the difference in the end.
WICKET! Tharanga c Warner b Faulkner 4 (Sri Lanka 307-8)
46th over: Sri Lanka 308-8 (Senanayake 3, Malinga 0)
Now Tharanga departs after slogging Faulkner’s slower ball down to deep mid-wicket and being caught by Warner moving in from the boundary. It’s all over bar the shouting now.
WICKET! Prasanna b Starc 9 (Sri Lanka 305-7)
45th over: Sri Lanka 306-7 (Tharanga 4, Senanayake 1)
Finally Starc makes a notch in the wicket column and it’s a little bit predictable the way he skittles Prasanna with a fast, straight yorker to the base of the stumps. Starc gives a muted windmill in celebration, realizing half-way through that he’s essentially dismissed a tail-ender and should celebrate that event with appropriate decorum.
44th over: Sri Lanka 304-6 (Tharanga 3, Prasanna 9)
Russel Arnold says Australia should take an extra positive out of this game in the form of Michael Clarke’s freedom of movement in the field. Was he not watching the outfield drop or the one he didn’t even get to? Hmm. Back in the middle, Shane Watson’s tendency to concede runs in bizarre circumstances continues when he’s edged over the vacant cordon for a boundary by Prasanna.
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43rd over: Sri Lanka 296-6 (Tharanga 3, Prasana 0)
Now it’s 81 off 42 for Sri Lanka and their hardy contingent of supporters are looking a little glum. They’ve surged in two periods of this chase but it looks now as though they’ll fall short.
Shane Warne going back to the well on the "Arjuna Ranatunga is/was fat" jokes
— Jordsby (@WlTTSJW) March 8, 2015
WICKET! Perera c Doherty b Johnson 8 (Sri Lanka 293-6)
Ouch, now Perera goes trying to slog a boundary towards cow off Johnson. Instead he skies it high in the direction of mid on and Doherty moves around to take a straightforward skied catch. Are the Lankans done now? You’d think so.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 292-5 (Perera 8, Tharanga 1)
85 off 48 is the equation from here. Perera can smash them and Tharanga’s no mug either. Perera manages a pair of boundaries to finish the Watson over.
WICKET! Chandimal retires hurt then Mathews departs - c Watson 35 (Sri Lanka 383-5)
It’s not exactly ideal given the way he’s hitting them, but one ball into this Watson over it’s clear that Chandimal can’t go on any longer with that cramp so he retires hurt, replaced by Thisara Perera. Worse, that break in momentum results in a wicket when Mathews takes a swish at Watson’s bouncer and feathers an edge behind the wicket to Haddin. That is a disaster for Sri Lanka - just as they hauled themselves back their luck turns cold.
Chanimal brings up a blazing half-century
41st over: Sri Lanka 280-4 (Mathews 33, Chandimal 51)
Chandimal is in a bit of strife here; cramp by the looks. That brings proceedings to a halt for a while as the umpires allow him to take off his pads and get a rub-down. When the over resumes, Chandimal hooks one out towards fine leg and though he’s hobbling, that signals his half-centry from 22 balls of brave, resourceful hitting. All he can do now is swing because he can barely move his legs.
At the end of the over it looks as though Mathews wants to send him off for a more able-bodied batsman but he stays.
40th over: Sri Lanka 272-4 (Mathews 30, Chandimal 46)
Sri Lanka are in T20 mode now and it’s paying off in grand style. Watson is taken apart in this over, again by Chandimal as he sends a pair of fours racing out to the SCG fence. One heads towards cow, the other to the extra cover boundary.
Dean Kinsella is very excited. “If SL do it from here against this attack - would it be the greatest run chase of them all?” They need 105 off 10 overs. They couldn’t, could they?
39th over: Sri Lanka 261-4 (Mathews 28, Chandimal 37)
So often Australia’s hero in the past 24 months, Mitch Johnson looks like a bit of a liability at the moment. His first ball here goes for four through third man and then Chandimal is swinging for the rafters. “He’s a classical player” says Russel Arnold, but there’s nothing particularly textbook about some of the huge slogs he’s unleashing on Johnson.
38th over: Sri Lanka 249-4 (Mathews 24, Chandimal 30)
Now Faulkner returns. Clarke is hoping he can nip this blossoming partnership in the bud and the chance actually falls into his own hands when he has another chance for a run-out. It’s in much the same spot as the last one but with the batsman stranded by half a pitch-length he misses with the direct-hit chance. Remarkably, Australia botch another run-out chance only two balls later. This game is a bit mad at the moment. It’s hard to keep up with it all.
37th over: Sri Lanka 243-4 (Mathews 20, Chandimal 29)
With Australia’s bowling aces out of the attack for the time being, the Sri Lankan pair are treating Doherty like a stolen car. Mathews gets down on one knee and pumps him for a huge six, then hits four through cover. Once he gets his own turn, Chandimal cashes in with another pair of boundaries as Doherty falls apart. Nineteen precious runs come from the over. It’s sensational stuff from the Sri Lankans.
36th over: Sri Lanka 224-4 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 21)
He’s not exactly known for his power-hitting, but Chandimal is a man on a mission tonight. He thumps Watson for four through cover and then hammers a quite wondrous six over cow corner, one that results in a pleasing ‘clock’ sound from the middle of the bat. It gets better; he’s Pietersen-like to Watson’s last ball, lifting his back leg as he flicks it around the corner for another boundary to deep square leg. Can he keep it going?
35th over: Sri Lanka 208-4 (Mathews 9, Chandimal 5)
There’s no point in the new batting pair hanging around and nurdling. Chandimal gets straight to work by slog-sweeping Doherty over deep mid-wicket for four. He’ll need at least three of those per over if the Lankans are to get close to this target.
WICKET! Sangakkara c Finch b Faulkner 104 (Sri Lanka 201-4)
Sangakkara is out! I feel like that needs to be in bold, Bradman style. He shaped as the potential hero for Sri Lanka but Kumar Sangakkara is gone when he lofts Faulkner deep to the off side and into the hands of Aaron Finch. The fielder had to make some serious ground coming in from the fence but he held it in grand style.
There was debate too over whether Faulkner had overstepped the line. To the naked eye it looked a no ball but having referred it upstairs, the umpires refused to call Sangakkara back. Ouch. That definitely looked like a no ball. The Aussies are in the box seat now, it’s safe to say.
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33rd over: Sri Lanka 200-3 (Sangakkara 101, Mathews 4)
Starc has 0-18 off 6 so far, a total outlier in a game in which most bowlers have gone at more than a run a ball. He’s not even Sri Lanka’s biggest problem right now either, because skipper Angelo Mathews is moving gingerly in the middle with what looks to be some kind of hamstring strain. Watch this space.
Meanwhile, even the godly Sangakkara can’t get Starc’s yorkers away. The two of them are on a different level than everyone else right now. The required rate is 10.4. Danger! Danger!
Kumar Sangakkara retiring is the biggest threat facing cricket today.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) March 8, 2015
Kumar Sangakkara becomes the first man in World Cup history to hit three hundreds in three games!
32nd over: Sri Lanka 195-3 (Sangakkara 101, Mathews 4)
The Jayawardene debacle behind him, Sangakkara moves past his milestone with two to deep square leg off the bowling of Faulkner. That’s three tons in three games for Sangakkara; what a champion he is. We’re almost immune to his magnificence in the ODI arena, such is its everyday occurrence. Mathews has joined him at the crease now and their task is significant - 10 an over for the next 18 overs.
100! What an innings from the legendary Kumar Sangakkara! The first man ever to get 3 World Cup tons in a row! #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/MRfiN6f9vE
— ICC (@ICC) March 8, 2015
WICKET! Jaywardene run out Clarke 19 (Sri Lanka 188-3)
31st over: Sri Lanka 188-3 (Sangakkara 99)
Upon Mitchell Starc’s return, Jayawardene does the right thing by his partner and gets off strike with a single to fine leg. Or is that actually doing Sangakkara a favour? He’s tempted into a dodgy push outside off stump and then almost knocked off his feet by a yorker that tails in viciously, taking an inside-edge as it cannons into Sangakkara’s boot.
Then a disaster for Sri Lanka.... Off Starc’s final ball of the over, Jayawardene attempts a quick single to the arm of Clarke at mid off and the Aussie skipper is equal to the task, pelting a throw in to take the stumps and beat the diving Jayawardene. He’s gone!
30th over: Sri Lanka 186-2 (Sangakkara 98, Jayawardene 18)
Clarke’s bowler rotation gets another change-up with Faulkner returning with his cutters, spinners and slow bouncers. There’s half a chance when Sangakkara lofts one into the outfield but advancing from the deep, Maxwell can’t quite pick up the ball and his last-second dive is not enough to make up the ground.
As per the immutable laws of cricket, Sangakkara follows that with a pair of boundaries to leg when Faulkner’s line strays badly. Rubbing salt into the wounds, he makes it three in a row by slashing over point for four more. He’s on 98 now, Sangakkara, off only 96 rocks. He’s making hundreds in his sleep at the moment.
Surely the main reason why Maxwell is bowling well is that he has a ton behind him. Not much builds confidence like that @rustyjacko
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) March 8, 2015
He’s always pretty confident. Didn’t help him take that catch, mind.
29th over: Sri Lanka 169-2 (Sangakkara 84, Jayawardene 15)
Speaking of Shane Watson, the reborn all-rounder is back for another bowl now. He couldn’t help but do better than in his expensive first spell. As all this is happening, a quite awkward and thus quite brilliant commentary discussion ensues between Russel Arnold and Mark Taylor, the gist of which is Arnold’s objection to Aaron Finch returning the ball from the outfield by bouncing it in along the turf. Quite right he is, too. Finch is ticked off by umpire Ian Gould
@rustyjacko With the two greatest (current) one day batsmen at the crease, and 150 already on the board, who's betting against SL?
— Ravi Nair (@palfreyman1414) March 8, 2015
28th over: Sri Lanka 164-2 (Sangakkara 83, Jayawardene 11)
“It’s like he’s got a plan,” says Mark Waugh as Glenn Maxwell races through another productive over. You’d hope so, wouldn’t you Junior? Especially as a selector. Sangakkara is feeling the pinch a little, perhaps, because a rash sweep shot to finish the over is also nearly the end of his innings. It balloons over Haddin for two in the end.
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27th over: Sri Lanka 159-2 (Sangakkara 80, Jayawardene 9)
Park cricketers take heart: there is still a place for a lumbering outfielder who can’t really dive, as is amply proved when Shane Watson fails to reel in Sangakkara’s pull to the deep mid-wicket boundary. Watson’s dive is a like a slow motion recreation of the construction of nearby Sydney Harbour Bridge but the results are far less aestehetically pleasing. Poor Watto. Doherty recovers well, conceding only one more run from the rest of the over.
26th over: Sri Lanka 154-2 (Sangakkara 76, Jayawardene 8)
Mindful of the need to keep plenty of Faulkner’s overs in hand, Clarke gives him a spell and tosses the ball back to Glenn Maxwell. Despite what might have been a temptation to attack, the Sri Lankan pair manage only four runs as the required rate creeps uncomfortably close to 10 per over. Can they reload and go again? Anything is possible with Sangakkara at the crease.
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25th over: Sri Lanka 150-2 (Sangakkara 74, Jayawardene 6)
Johnson’s operating in unfamiliar territory right now, doing his bit as more of a containment bowler than anything. He ties Sangakkara up beautifully, running his fingers across the seam and bowling an immaculate line and length, traits not exactly synonymous with the hairy quick in the last few years. The only run from the over is a single from the final delivery.
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24th over: Sri Lanka 149-2 (Sangakkara 73, Jayawardene 6)
He’s had a bit of a look around and gathered his bearings, so now Jayawardene is comfortable enough to shimmy across the crease and flick Mitchell Johnson over mid-wicket for a boundary. He did that with ridiculous ease, actually. Just shuffle, shuffle, then a quick rotation of the wrists to clip it away. It’s almost as though he’s done this before.
23rd over: Sri Lanka 142-2 (Sangakkara 71, Jayawardene 1)
Mitchell Johnson has tightened up a lot in this spell. He’s angling it back in to Sangakkara and like Faulkner, varying his pace with the odd cutter as well. There’s an easy joke to be made here about The Sound and the Fury, but I’m above those sorts of terrible puns and so are you, dear readers.
22nd over: Sri Lanka 137-2 (Sangakkara 70, Jayawardene 1)
Ooh, there’s nearly a run-out as well and despite the protestations of Sangakkara, his veteran partner almost runs himself out while getting off the mark. Faulkner is right in the game at the moment. He’s dragged Australia’s bowlers back in it with him.
WICKET! Dilshan lbw Faulkner 62 (Sri Lanka 135-2)
Pressure tells! With a pair of miserly overs behind him, Faulkner sends down a canny slower ball out the back of the hand and that variety of pace beats Dilshan all ends up. It clips his back leg and though Dilshan calls for a review, it’s definitely out. Ian Gould’s original call stands and Dilshan is on his way.
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21st over: Sri Lanka 135-1 (Dilshan 62, Sangakkara 69)
Big Bad Mitch Johnson is back but he’s more lean than mean, to be honest. Like Faulkner, he only concedes two runs for the over and bowls it at a brisk pace that asks questions of the batsmen. Questions like, “can you hit me for runs?” Mostly, the answer is ‘no’.
Sangakkara defines "Grace Under Pressure" - we can count ourselves lucky to have seen him before the power game overwhelms all @rustyjacko.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) March 8, 2015
Hear hear, Gary.
20th over: Sri Lanka 133-1 (Dilshan 61, Sangakkara 68)
Faulkner’s done the nigh-on impossible here and conceded just two runs from the over. How did that happen? In 2015? At this World Cup? Scientists will be studying that over for years and they’ll still never find an answer.
Thank you also to everyone who has kindly emailed in about my Sangakkara half-century typo. You’re right too; 94 does sound a lot more impressive than 9.
19th over: Sri Lanka 131-1 (Dilshan 60, Sangakkara 67)
Maxwell’s aim at the moment is probably damage limitation, so 8 from the over is hardly a disaster but the Aussies are in dire need of a wicket to halt the Sri Lankan momentum.
“This is too much fun,” says Robert Wilson. “This is going too well. I’m too happy and delighted. This makes me worry about when the other shoe is going to drop. What kind of shoe it’s going to be? And where it’s going to land? And how hard? Yes, bat is dominating ball but last week you couldn’t buy a run and everyone was getting five-fers. Never loved a world cup so much. And there’s never a bad time for a Star Wars quotation.”
What kind of shoe? Hopefully one that lands behind the white line.
18th over: Sri Lanka 123-1 (Dilshan 55, Sangakkara 64)
He’s been Australia’s Mr Fix-It in so many scenarios in the past couple of years and now James Faulkner is on for a bowl and in search of a wicket. Sangakkara cuts him stylishly but Steve Smith reels in a superb one-handed save at point to deny a run. It’s a typically tidy over from Faulkner. Good stuff.
@rustyjacko its weird how Dilshan's lack of helmet has the strange effect of making him appear kinda bored & nonchalant.
— Ian Whitney (@iancwhitney) March 8, 2015
It’s back on now, sadly. Boooo!
17th over: Sri Lanka 119-1 (Dilshan 53, Sangakkara 62)
A notable feature of this partnership so far has been the ability of both batsmen to sense the ascendancy of the other and re-calibrate their thinking accordingly. Dilshan went on the attack earlier but now he’s sitting back and letting Sangakkara do all the front-running. I guess that’s a familiarity and confidence that comes with years of partnering each other at the crease. Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayawardene bat together like they share an exclusive language, one that’s indecipherable to bowlers at times.
It’s Doherty’s turn to eat a Sanga here - a bit of a shit sandwich, to be blunt - and the left-hander takes him for a pair of disdainful boundaries before the drinks break, one to cow corner and the other high over mid-off. The Lankans are going at 7 an over and perfectly setting themselves to reel in this massive target.
Dilshan brings up his half-century
16th over: Sri Lanka 106-1 (Dilshan 51, Sangakkara 51)
Now it’s Dilshan’s chance to take a bow when he brings up 50, batting now with a pleasingly old-fashioned aesthetic having eschewed both helmet and cap and batting with only a sweaty mop of hair showing. Like a Sri Lankan Ken Barrington. Sort of? Okay, not really.
Sangakkara brings up his half-century
15th over: Sri Lanka 101-1 (Dilshan 49, Sangakkara 50)
The Aussies are getting desperate now, appealing for a stumping when Sangakkara slightly overbalances to Doherty but clearly doesn’t leave his crease. Sanga brings up his 94th ODI half-century - yes, you read that correctly - and continues to look suspiciously like he’ll get his side home. Am I going the early crow? I guess I am.
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14th over: Sri Lanka 96-1 (Dilshan 47, Sangakkara 47)
This game threatened to settle down for a few overs there but it’s off its head again now, like a drunk who has woken up from the briefest of naps and chugged down another ill-advised Jager bomb. Maxwell is savaged by Sangakkara, going for 2-4-4 as the Sri Lankan champ moves past the 14,000 ODI run mark. He’s even caught up with Dilshan in today’s aggregates.
DROPPED CATCH! Clarke puts down Dilshan
13th over: Sri Lanka 86-1 (Dilshan 47, Sangakkara 37)
It’s all happneing in this over. Dilshan almost runs himself out taking two off Doherty and then he’s dropped after playing a very indiscrimnate heave towards leg, to which Clarke runs around, dives ever-so-slightly and spills a tough chance on the way down to the turf. Should he have taken it? Probably. Mitch Johnson was bearing down on him from the deep but Clarke called himself in and made a hash of it. It hung in the air forever, that one.
Harsh but probably true: young Clarke would have got to that without diving.
12th over: Sri Lanka 81-1 (Dilshan 44, Sangakkara 35)
He batted like a mad genius earlier and now Glenn Maxwell is on for a bowl as Clarke seeks to slow the pace on the ball and force a tactical rethink from this batting pair. The Maxwell darts do the job even better than Doherty’s, costing only 5 runs. Dilshan reminds Mark Nicholas of “a Mexican bandito,” apparently. So there’s that.
11th over: Sri Lanka 76-1 (Dilshan 43, Sangakkara 31)
It’s hard to tell whether he’s got the balck undies on, but Xavier Doherty has been thrown the ball and will have his first trundle of the World Cup. He’s typically accurate to start with but Sri Lanka’s pair are both looking for avenues of destruction. Seven runs is the result, though there was barely a stray delivery in there.
10th over: Sri Lanka 69-1 (Dilshan 41, Sangakkara 25)
Starc’s still up around the 150kmph mark and he’s looking angry, to boot. The net result of Australia’s tactical recalibration is that the runs have also dried up in relative terms. There’s only four from this over - all of them singles.
Phil Withall is in the unfortunate position of being miles from a TV. “I’m on my way home from the football, Brisbane Roar won 1-0 as I’m sure you want to know, and may have had a couple of drinks. Would you be so kind as to confirm that the Sri Lanka batsmen are really doing this or I am lost in a post victory/ over indulgence of over priced weak beer moment?” You’re not seeing things, Phil. You might be seeing double though, I’m not sure. They’re not 6969 for 11 is all I’m saying.
@rustyjacko Sangakkara's neck padding and Dilshan getting badged are keeping both #HelmetTalk and this run chase alive.
— Chris Weaver (@cweaver1983) March 8, 2015
By the way, all other #HelmetTalk is welcome.
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9th over: Sri Lanka 65-1 (Dilshan 41, Sangakkara 23)
Michael Clarke is on the defensive now, instructing Watson to bowl straight and full and setting his field accordingly. It’s a decent move for now because this pair could take away the game in 10-15 manic overs, or at the very least set up a successful chase. Sangakkara gives about a quarter of a chance off Watson’s last delivery, driving uppishly in the direction of mid off.
Reader Krishnan Patel is muckraking. “Whisper it Russell...but I think the Barmy Army may have been on to something with their Mitchell Johnson chant.” You’re a card, Krishnan.
Reckon Doherty would be a bit nervous right now? #ausvsl
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) March 8, 2015
Brown undies times for X.
8th over: Sri Lanka 59-1 (Dilshan 38, Sangakkara 20)
Now it’s nine boundaries in 13 balls as Sangakkara cover-drives on the up for four more against the returning Starc. There’s plenty of spite out there too and Ian Gould has to step in and calm things down when Dilshan and the Aussies exchange pleasantries.
Starc restores some sanity at least, conjuring five dot balls including a beautiful in-swinging yorker that all but castles Sangakkara. This match refuses to take a breath at the moment - it’s magnificent one-day cricket.
7th over: Sri Lanka 55-1 (Dilshan 38, Sangakkara 16)
This game has gone completely bonkers. Not content with dismantling Johnson, now the Sri Lankan pair turn their attentions to Shane Watson, who replaces Mitchell Starc. Sangakkara clips him for three, then Dilshan launches two more boundaries and an audacious Dilscoop for one, before Sangakkara taps himself back into the ring like Bam-Bam Bigelow and bashes four through cover.
This is batting from the cricket porn instruction manual we put out before the tournament. Wow. Sensational stuff from the Lankans. The 50 parrtnership is up off 32 deliveries and they’re flying. 8 of the last 12 deliveries have lead to boundaries. Crazy stuff at the SCG.
Dilshan hits six boundaries in a Mitchell Johnson over!
6th over: Sri Lanka 42-1 (Dilshan 33, Sangakkara 8)
There’s some superb and crowd-igniting batting from Dilshan in this over, in which he hits six consecutive fours! First there’s a pair of drives straight down the ground. To say Johnson is chagrined would be an understatement, especially when he’s on the receiving end of a wild slog towards cow that crosses the rope after one bounce and then a scything pull to square leg.
On an unstoppable roll, Dilshan goes more conventional for the next two, both supremely timed cover drives to the fence. It’s brilliant stuff. He’s destroying Johnson out there.
5th over: Sri Lanka 18-1 (Dilshan 9, Sangakkara 8)
Dilshan’s in his usual hurry in the early stages of the innings and refuses to bow to Starc’s recent reputation, clipping him for two towards leg and then top-edging a hook for one - both strokes that he’d aimed to send into the stands. Starc’s getting it through much too fast for those kinds of ideas.
Starc is bowling so well at the moment that even Sangakkara’s two down the ground to finish the over feels like a win.
4th over: Sri Lanka 13-1 (Dilshan 6, Sangakkara 6)
There’s a need for the Sri Lankans to work their way in here but they must also be conscious of letting the required run rate get too out of hand. Dilshan takes a single off Johnson and then Sangakkara pushes out through cover to pick up two and get off the mark himself. The shackles - if you can even call them that - are released when Sangakkara crouches a little uncomfortably and hooks over square leg for a boundary.
Johnson thinks he might have Sangakkara trapped in front from the final ball of the over and engages in animated one-way conversation with the batsman but Umpire Gould is having none of it.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 6-1 (Dilshan 5, Sangakkara 0)
Starc is working up a head of steam now, spearing one in and getting just enough movement that it screams past Sangakkara’s outside edge. The latter has the new-fangled Masuri helmet with foam inserts to protect the back of the head. It’s terrific that they’ve responded so quickly with that innnovation, isn’t it?
2nd over: Sri Lanka 5-1 (Dilshan 4, Sangakkara 0)
If Sri Lanka are to win this game, Kumar Sangakkara is the man who’ll have to do most of the heavy lifting. He’s at the crease now and negotiates the first few from Johnson in his typically-Zen manner. You could drive a Monster Truck across the pitch and he wouldn’t bat an eye lid. If he ever comes out to Australia for the Big Bash, we might actually see that happen.
WICKET! Thirimanne c Haddin b Johnson 1 (Sri Lanka 5-1)
Big Mean Mitch Johnson is thrown the matching new ball and after Dilshan drives him for three he strikes immediately, angling an awkward in-ducker towards Thirimanne’s rip cage and drawing from the left-hander a jumpy, unconvincing flinch that sees him feather the ball through to Haddin. The Aussie keeper has to dive forward slightly but completes the catch with aplomb. Johnson is on.
@rustyjacko why not allow as many overs per bowler as they or the captain want? That way the batsmen might get bogged down.
— Barry (@Cucuronaise) March 8, 2015
I for one would like to see 25 overs of Dan Vettori, Barry.
1st over: Sri Lanka 2-0 (Dilshan 1, Thirimanne 1)
Dilshan and Thiramanne are the men tasked with opening this Sri Lankan innings and both have hit their straps in this tournament. Dilshan was collossal at the MCG against Bangladesh, while Thirimanne has found form in some style, generally looking a lock for runs. They’ll face up to Mitch Starc here, himself in the kind of form that makes eyes poop and wickets cartwheel.
Thirimanne gets off strike from the second delivery, bunting one past the bowler for a single but Starc is much more threatening to Dilshan, moving it away from the outside edge as the right-hander tries to hoof his first ball towards the cover boundary. Starc’s up close to the 150kmph mark but there’s none of his patented swing so far.
Hello OBOers
Welcome back to Slog City, New South Wales. Russell Jackson here taking you through Sri Lanka’s reply to the stupendous clinic in fast finishing that the Australians just put on. Want to get in touch? Hit me via email on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or on twitter: @rustyjacko
I’d like to say that I’m currently in a state of shell shock, but that would just be a lie. As Geoff mentioned earlier, the results at this World Cup so far really could make a cynic of your park-grade medium pacer types. What does a bowler do? The new ball from each end was meant to help but didn’t. The extra man inside the circle is just a gift to batsmen.
Still, it’s not exactly a cinch to do what Glenn Maxwell just did and Lasith Malinga aside, the Sri Lankans were insipid with the ball. The questions that remain: could Australia bowl that badly? You’d doubt it. Could Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayawardene pull off this chase? I’d have to say yes, they could.
Are the Aussies about to get Sanga’d, or the Sri Lankan’s about to be Mitched? We’ll soon see.
@rustyjacko Re the problems of ODI cricket below. Solve them by cutting each innings to 20 overs and the tournament to two weeks.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) March 8, 2015
We will be discussing these questions and more on the Guardian World Cup podcast. You can listen to the current episode here, where I’ve got guests Gideon High, Adam Collins and Russell Jackson.
We’ll be recording the next episode this Tuesday, so check the page or subscribe on iTunes to have it automatically downloaded once it’s released.
That’s it for me today - Geoff Lemon out, Russell will be in shortly to take you through Sri Lanka’s chase.
Second, from Gangesh Vadakeyil:
“Coming to the present state of affairs in the WC, the Aussies do not have the seeming invincibility that their rivals across the Tasman possess on current form. The Kiwis look like the team to beat given the domination they have shown so consistently. MSD & Co. are so dependent on a rhythm and once that is upset they could lose to any team. The Proteas, their putative destructive powers apart, have lost twice and look vulnerable. Pakistan can be dangerous but they are predictably unpredictable. The Sri Lankan team has potential that could make it to the semis, if not any farther. England inspires little confidence. What are your thoughts on the possible semi line-up?”
Many questions here. Every team has some weak points, though it’s hard to find any about Australia after watching that performance. Better bowling would have tested them, but who’s going to provide that?
Two topics to consider.
One: has this World Cup made it clear that the new regulations - two new balls, and only four fieldsmen outside the circle - are not working? They favour the sides batting first immensely, and make it far easier to score more quickly and play more aggressively. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, because while it’s exciting to watch at the time, it tends to make a lot of games one-sided.
Is this a problem, and should we revert to a single ball and to five fieldsmen in the deep to give bowlers more support?
An astonishing display by Australia’s batsmen here, all bar the openers contributing. Smith and Clarke set the early tone and gave the required stability. Maxwell and Watson brought on the carnage in the second half. Haddin popped the cherry on top at the end. Sri Lanka’s bowling attack would be one of the weakest among the contender nations, and they were exposed ruthlessly.
50th over: Australia 376-9 (Johnson 3, Doherty 0)
That’s it, it’s all over. Eight runs from the over: Haddin had collected a boundary through square leg before he got out, then Starc was run out, then Johnson took a single and Doherty ran a bye from the last ball.
Sri Lanka have been set a night-impossible 377 to win. They’ve been in good batting form but this would take something very special from all of their top batsmen. OK, not entirely impossible given the scores we’ve seen racked up in this tournament, and the 300+ chases and near-chases we’ve seen. But they’ll be pretty drained from the last 50 overs.
Updated
WICKET! Starc 0 (0 balls), run out (Mathews)
A diamond duck for Starc, as Johnson clubs down the ground, takes a run, wants the second, and Starc going to the non-striker’s end didn’t have time to get back before the bowler broke the stumps.
WICKET! Haddin 25 (9 balls), c Perera b Mathews
The Sri Lankans still have the spirit to smile and dish a couple of high-fives as they take one more wicket, Haddin holing out to cover.
Updated
WICKET! Watson 67 (41 balls), c Chandimal b Perera
49th over: Australia 368-7 (Haddin 21)
Perera has taken some stick today, and it’s not stopping with a new man at the crease.
Six! Magnificent shot as he gives himself room and hits the inside-out drive over cover.
Four! A similar stroke but along the ground this time to the fence.
Four more over mid-off this time and away to the rope.
And furthermore, four runs as Haddin inside-edges between his legs, past his leg stump, and away to the fine leg fence. Sangakkara’s face popped up on camera there and he looked completely destroyed, emotionally. Expect Sri Lanka to slide away pretty quickly in the chase on that evidence.
Dropped at deep midwicket as Haddin launches a ball out there for a run.
Then finally, the wicket, as Watson can’t clear long-off.
48th over: Australia 349-6 (Watson 67, Haddin 2)
Another fine Malinga over in the circumstances - this goes for only four runs as he gets the yorker on the spot. Singles are the best they can do, even at this stage of the innings.
47th over: Australia 345-6 (Watson 60, Haddin 0)
Classic shot! By classic I mean bizarre. Watson got a ball way outside the return crease that would surely have been a wide. He had started kneeling so he could drive the full delivery square, then saw how wide it was going. Instead of leaving it he literally dived toward the line of the ball like he was stretching for his batting crease, and while almost mid-air he got the end of the bat on it and sent it over point for four.
That finishes Perera’s over, which cost eight runs, took Maxwell’s wicket, and encompassed the run-out of Faulkner.
WICKET! Faulkner 0, run out Mathews/Perera
A second danger man comes and goes with immediate effect, Faulkner driving straight to cover and taking off for the run, Mathews gathered and threw very smoothly to the bowler and Perera was able to get the bails off with Faulkner two inches short at the non-striker’s end. He’s on his way.
WICKET! Maxwell 102 (53 balls), c Malinga b Perera
Finally the fireworks fade into the background glare of the city sky. Maxwell gets a rank full toss, waist-high, tries to slam it straight and only gets it high in the air. Malinga tracks back from mid-on to take the catch. What an afternoon.
CENTURY! Maxwell 101, 51 balls, 10 fours, 4 sixes
46th over: Australia 337-4 (Maxwell 102, Watson 57)
Mathews is determined to bowl out Seekkuge Prasanna, even though the leggie has been belted by these two batsmen. It continues: Watson elevated the sweep over fine leg for four, then Prasanna bowls well wide of off stump, but Watto still kneels and crashes the ball straight back at the bowler, a sort of dragged sweep shot that nearly wipes out the man who sent it down, and shoots down the ground for four more.
Watson hands over strike, then Maxwell chips two over mid-on and there it is!
101 from 51 balls, he’s played another sensational innings, and after being dismissed three times in the 90s selflessly hitting on, he’s finally notched that maiden triple-figure score in Australian colours.
And four more from Watson on the sweep to finish the over. 16 from it. Just because. Oh, and a half-century to Watson from 30 balls that has gone almost unnoticed. At least for today, the move down the order has worked.
45th over: Australia 321-4 (Maxwell 99, Watson 44)
Some hilarious stuff in this over. Maxwell begins with a chance to break Kevin O’Brien’s 50-ball record for the fastest World Cup century. Malinga keeps him to a two, then a single, meaning he has 99 from 49 balls and can only equal it. Once Watson gives Maxwell the strike back he’s hit on the pad, Malinga appeals, Maxwell runs. The scoreboard gives him the run for an inside edge. The crowd cheers. Maxwell does not salute. Umpire Ian Gould accordingly asks him whether he missed that. Maxwell says yes, and the umpire belatedly signals a leg bye! Maxwell stays on 99, awaiting his first ODI century.
“Anticlimaxwell,” says Geoff Lawson on the radio. Kudos to Malinga too, only six from the over.
44th over: Australia 315-4 (Maxwell 96, Watson 42)
Hello Watto. Australia’s new six celebrates with as many runs, clunking Mathews over long on. The runs just keep coming. Four more from Maxwell over cover, he’s target that area many times today. That’s where a boundary rider would be if the rules hadn’t reduced the number allowed.
Dropped! Oh dear. Sangakkara is furious as Maxwell sweeps a Mathews slower ball, gets a high top edge towards fine leg, the keeper sprints 40 metres to get under it with the dive but the ball bounces out as he falls. He did extremely well to get close but he glares with the hate of a thousand teenagers at the back of a thousand slammed bedroom doors.
43rd over: Australia 300-4 (Maxwell 89, Watson 35)
Six! Watson gets in on the act, and the perfect ball to do it as Perera bowled him a high full toss for him to muscle over midwicket. Maxwell comes on strike and badly miscues a shot that nonethless lobs over mid-off and dribbles away for four.
A full slow ball that Maxwell can’t score from, then a short slow ball that Maxwell picks, waits for, and dumps into the spectators behind square leg. Perera bowls a wide, then Maxwell takes two through midwicket.
That’s the 300 up, and Australia have 42 more balls to face. 20 from that last over alone. Even at normal pace they’ll get 350 here. If Maxwell keeps going like this they could get 400 again.
42nd over: Australia 280-4 (Maxwell 77, Watson 28)
Oh, Maxy. Switch-hit. Over gully. The reverse swat. Angelo Mathews goes for four.
Then Maxwell goes for a mighty swipe, gets a huge high top edge around behind square, but Perera can’t quite get there for another miracle catch as he belts around from a much finer position and dives for the catch. The ball beat him by about a foot. The batsmen get three runs. Then they settle for singles and end with 10 from the over.
The partnership is at 103 and Maxwell has 75 of them.
41st over: Australia 270-4 (Maxwell 69, Watson 26)
Prasanna back, decent leg-break first up but Maxwell respects it not, slogging it past the deep midwicket fieldsman for four.
Four again as Maxwell gets one just short enough to get under, kneels to achieve that and lifts the sweep down to backward square. Two more as he chips wide of long-off. They just can’t stop him scoring.
And again as he slogs away to midwicket once more. Please do not bowl a leg-spinner to Maxwell. Just don’t. The over finishes with a single and a Watson deuce. 17 from this over, 17 from Prasanna’s last. So he’s consistent.
40th over: Australia 253-4 (Maxwell 54, Watson 24)
Last over of the PowerPlay, and Watson flicks Malinga behind square for four. The Watson-to-No6 brigade will be loving this, he’s looked totally at ease since he came out today as opposed to his stodgy efforts at first drop this summer.
Single, single, single, dot. Malinga clobbers Maxwell in the solar plexus with that last one, that might be one day to slow him down. Watson’s previous single was chipped not far short of mid-off. Malinga still offers threat, even though they’ve sent him to the fence a few times. Maxwell glances a single from what would have been a wide, and the PowerPlay is done.
They’ve put on 54 runs without a wicket in that section.
39th over: Australia 245-4 (Maxwell 52, Watson 18)
You really feel for bowlers in this age. We’re not even in the last 10 overs. If these two go a bit longer Australia could end up past 350. This feels very threatening. What thrilling batting from Maxwell. Every hit is so clean.
Perera inherits the bowling duties and his opening rank full toss only goes for two to midwicket, but the good fortune ends there as Maxwell clears the next ball just over the midwicket rope. A small six, but six nonetheless.
Half-century too, from 26 balls if you don’t mind. 4 fours, 3 sixes.
Maxwell bunts a single to fine leg, Watson gets one through midwicket, then Perera follows Maxwell as he backs away and draws a swing and a miss for a precious dot ball.
38th over: Australia 235-4 (Maxwell 43, Watson 17)
In fact Watson’s been better able to score from Malinga than Maxwell has so far. Whips two runs off his legs, then glances a single. Four, as Maxwell finally gets his range, Malinga misses the yorker marginally, landing it just a bit short of that length, and Maxwell uses the few inches of bounce to smear it over cover.
A better yorker cramps Maxwell and keeps him to one run.
Four! Watson gets in on the act, far more orthodox than Maxwell as he gets a full ball to drive beautifully, that square-shouldered Watson drive down through long-on.
FOUR more! Malinga’s over unravels as he tries to bounce Watson, doesn’t get the ball high enough and Watson cleans up on the hook shot behind square.
37th over: Australia 219-4 (Maxwell 38, Watson 6)
This could be interesting. It’s the PowerPlay, I should have mentioned - that kicked in automatically last over, given 35 overs had gone. Malinga bowled the first of it, but it’s the leggie, Seekkuge Prasanna, who’s been asked to bowl the second.
Watson knows his job, he taps a single to mid-on first ball to give Maxwell strike.
Six! Maxwell knows his job, as he gets down for the sweep and lifts that high into the stands at midwicket.
Two more runs as Maxwell drags away an attempted pull from the bottom edge, then four as he pulls out the reverse and deliberately tries to hit it for six - not just reversing the stroke but getting as low he can so he can bring the bat up and under the ball to give it as much air as possible. It bounces just in front of the rope at third man.
Deep cover, long off, deep midwicket. He flicks wide of that second boundary rider to take two runs, then drives along the ground to the latter for two more. 17 from the over and it’s tough work for an inexperienced spinner.
36th over: Australia 202-4 (Maxwell 22, Watson 5)
Malinga time. Short, Watson almost falls over playing it, jerking away from the line of the ball as he hooked, but he got a run. Maxwell is just as awkward, getting a fierce yorker on his boot as he tried to back away, and it almost took his legs out from under him as he squirted it to midwicket.
Oh, Malinga is bowling brilliantly to Maxwell. Another yorker right into his bootlaces, following him once more as Maxwell tried to back away. Absolutely no room for him to swing. Malinga’s next is right on the stumps and Maxwell has to stay put so he can keep it out. Then from the fourth ball Maxwell has faced he gets a single to cover.
In Maxwell’s current form, bowling him four balls for one run is exceptional.
A single from the last ball as Watson gets a fast low full toss just outside the line of his pads, and he whips it away nicely but it’s saved at backward square.
Time for a drinks break. What Sri Lanka would do for another Malinga.
35th over: Australia 199-4 (Maxwell 21, Watson 3)
There’s all of Maxwell. A massive slog that he edges high over cover, and it just lands safely for two. Then he times one better, lobbing cover for four. Then he backs off a bit, goes inside out and slams Dilshan for six over long-off. Takes a single, then we chuckle as Watson nicks a run to keep the strike.
Maxwell 21 from 13. There were 14 from the over.
34th over: Australia 185-4 (Maxwell 8, Watson 2)
Every bowling side looking at Maxwell will feel a sense of opportunity and a sense of panic. You have a good chance to get him out, but if you don’t then the game will disappear.
He charges Senanayake to loft four, reverse-sweeps a single, then Watson ramps a ball just over the keeper for his first two runs.
33rd over: Australia 178-4 (Maxwell 3, Watson 0)
The complexion has changed, and now it’s down to Australia’s big hitters to start a touch earlier than they’d prefer and make the most of these last 17 overs. Dilshan has the magic arm and Smith once again gives away what looked a very likely century.
Two runs and the wicket from the over.
Shane Watson in at No6. Speaking of openers who bowl handy off-spin, Rohit Singh has reminded me of Virender Sehwag. He picked up a lot of wickets in his day. Sachin used to open the batting and get some wickets with his allsorts, too.
WICKET! Smith 72 (88 balls), c Perera b Dilshan
Two in quick time! This match has suddenly shifted as Smith tries to smash Dilshan straight for six, gets it higher than he does long, and the two fieldsmen in the deep converge, hesitate, worry each other, and eventually Perera charges the final steps to take a brilliant catch that was almost landing behind him, having to twist as he dived to get near it and reel it in. Find that on the highlights package.
32nd over: Australia 176-3 (Smith 72, Maxwell 1)
You wonder if Mathews shouldn’t have given Malinga a over or two when Clarke first came out. Malinga was short first ball and cracked away by Clarke on the pull, but saved well and kept to two. Two low full-tosses puzzled the batsman, then Clarke smashed a drive down the ground for four. But the second-last ball saw him bowled with some inswing at serious pace, Clarke’s footwork nowhere and trying to drive a ball that was never there.
Maxwell is in at 5, not Watson, and Maxwell digs out a yorker first ball for a single, rather than reverse-swatting it for six.
WICKET! Clarke 68 (68 balls), b Malinga
What a ball! Malinga comes back and he rips through Clarke with the yorker. Attempted drive is beaten and the stumps splay. Clarke was caught in two minds, trying to attack more than he normally might, and Sri Lanka’s champ took advantage. Brilliant comeback knock though from the Australian captain.
31st over: Australia 169-2 (Smith 72, Clarke 62)
Looks like Sri Lanka will need all their chasing prowess tonight. One, two, one, two, then Smith savagely cuts a four. Senanayake goes for 10 from the over. It’s way past Malinga time.
30th over: Australia 159-2 (Smith 65, Clarke 59)
Yep, there’s the injury concern. Clarke drives to mid-off, there’s a big misfield, plenty of time to dart a single as cover runs across to field, but Clarke says no. No way that he and Smith would decline that run if he were fit. He’s going to hit out.
Four! Exactly that, as Perera bowls too straight and Clarke flicks him away behind square.
Four more! Pitched up this time and Clarke thunks it over mid-off. This was the guy who didn’t trust his hitting against Afghanistan? Top shot.
29th over: Australia 149-2 (Smith 64, Clarke 50)
Shot! Clarke again, getting one that’s a bit short from Senanayake, and Clarke backs away extravagantly and lifts it over cover. Four runs.
They tickle the singles, raising the 100-run partnership between this pair, then it’s a half-century to Clarke with a run to midwicket. I’ve talked a lot about his lack of match time, but he’s slotted back in smoothly today.
Six! from Smith to finish the over, charging the bowler and crashing that high and long over long-off, into the crowd. All systems go? 14 from the over.
28th over: Australia 135-2 (Smith 56, Clarke 44)
Maybe we’re going to see Clarke open up to avoid running so much. He did so to great effect at Adelaide in that Test. He crashes Mathews for four through cover. Watching closely now, Clarke is absolutely sauntering the singles. Steve Smith is running them, Clarke is trotting them, rather than pushing to look for two.
Geoff Lawson on ABC Radio pointing out that Sri Lanka are missing a trick here - they’re not bringing the field up slightly to put pressure on Clarke’s singles.
27th over: Australia 126-2 (Smith 54, Clarke 38)
Uh-oh. Clarke has called for the physio and the drinks waiters. Alex Kountouris came out to the middle, they talked for a while, the physio went back. Clarke didn’t look in real trouble, but the commentary are noting that he grimaced a bit after an earlier shot, and that his running between the wickets has been very leisurely in the few runs since.
Here’s hoping it’s only Clarke being cautious about something rather than aggravating that injury yet again.
Five singles from Dilshan’s over, by the by.
26th over: Australia 121-2 (Smith 52, Clarke 35)
Mathews brings himself on to bowl his gentle medium pace, and it’s predictably easy to handle for the batting pair. Some shonky fielding at mid-off gives Clarke three runs he shouldn’t have had, and four singles are added to the tally.
25th over: Australia 114-2 (Smith 50, Clarke 30)
Steve Smith is channelling a younger Clarke, calling for the cap and forsaking the helmet given how much spin is being bowled. Clarke himself remains in the salad bowl. Dilshan drops shot and Clarke really clobbers a pull, that’s an encouragingly well struck shot as well, though Malinga saves well and keeps them to one run.
Then it’s a half-century for Steve Smith as Dilshan goes leg-side and Smith sweeps fine for four. 50 from 72 balls, 6 fours. Another milestone in his season of flourish.
Updated
24th over: Australia 107-2 (Smith 45, Clarke 28)
Prasanna finally gives Smith something to hit, drifting it too wide and Smith cuts for four. Clarke charges to smash one through cover but it’s beautifully stopped on the dive. Seven from that over in the end.
23rd over: Australia 100-2 (Smith 40, Clarke 26)
Tillakaratne Dilshan is about to get onto the bowling card, one of that breed of opening batsman who happens to bowl very handy and underrated off-spin. How many others are there? Chris Gayle, Mohammed Hafeez, off the top of my head. Aaron Finch spins a few. Send me your best.
Clarke takes two runs and tests out his hamstring hustling the second, then they gather three more singles. He’s looked good at the crease thus far. There’s the Australian 100.
Updated
22nd over: Australia 95-2 (Smith 39, Clarke 22)
Seekkuge Prasanna has only played about 20 ODIs, though he’s in his late 20s himself, but the lack of international experience is not stopping him bowling well. He dots up Steve Smith again, conceding only two runs from a cut shot to cover. The other five balls are all struck to the field.
Late in the over Mathews brings in very straight silly mid-on, Jayawardene standing next to the non-striker and fielding Smith’s last shot on the bounce.
21st over: Australia 93-2 (Smith 37, Clarke 22)
Shot! Clarke plays his first shot in anger since the Adelaide Test last December. A fullish length from Thisara Perera and Clarke swung truly through the line of the ball and lofted it to a vacant long-on for four. That was the last ball of the over, so the three preceding singles made it a very good one for Australia.
20th over: Australia 86-2 (Smith 35, Clarke 17)
Excellent over from Prasanna to Smith, giving it some flight, drawing some defensive strokes and some shots straight to the field. A single from the last ball is the only result for the batsman. Good rhythm now, they might just bowl him straight through.
19th over: Australia 85-2 (Smith 34, Clarke 17)
Perera bowls a tidy enough three-single over, but nothing threatening there. This is where Sri Lanka really fall down, the lack of a genuine second pace bowler to support Malinga, let alone a third.
18th over: Australia 82-2 (Smith 32, Clarke 16)
We’ve settled into the lull overs early, unless Sri Lanka can rough this ball up enough to get something to happen. Three singles from Prasanna’s leg-spin in the lead-up to drinks.
17th over: Australia 79-2 (Smith 30, Clarke 15)
Smith firmly in the watchful camp during this Perera over. A few dots, a couple of singles, as Perera settles into a line just outside off, and a length just short of good, keeping things fairly tight. Three from it.
16th over: Australia 76-2 (Smith 28, Clarke 14)
Senanayake’s over goes for four, a couple of singles to leg, then Clarke takes two to deep cover.
15th over: Australia 72-2 (Smith 27, Clarke 11)
Smith is in five touch. Thisara Perera comes on for a bit of seam-up, and Smith ever so delicately drives his fifth ball back past him for four. Three singles as well from the over. Few scares.
14th over: Australia 65-2 (Smith 22, Clarke 9)
Only two singles from Senanayake’s over, but confident footwork from both these Australian batsmen. They’re definitely the most mobile and versatile couple of players we’ve seen in the canary yellow over the last few years.
Apparently Watson is due in next. Though whether it’s 5 or 6, I feel that my position regarding the following has been slightly misrepresented.
@GeoffLemonSport I see your beloved watson is at no.6. The new bevan
— Sidvee (@sidvee) March 8, 2015
13th over: Australia 63-2 (Smith 21, Clarke 7)
Prasanna continuing, Clarke looking pretty comfortable already. This may not be the right move by Sri Lanka.
@GeoffLemonSport can't help but feel Clarke would appreciate two spinners to get his eye in. Think Sri Lanka have made a mistake.
— Kirt M (@kirtmorgs) March 8, 2015
Singles from the first five balls, two for Clarke from the last.
12th over: Australia 56-2 (Smith 18, Clarke 4)
Double spin now. Senanayake is back, bowling off-spin around the wicket to these right-handers. They work him comfortably enough for four singles to the leg-side.
11th over: Australia 52-2 (Smith 16, Clarke 2)
Prasanna continues. Another big appeal against Clarke as he comes down the pitch and pads a ball away. Replays show it would have been umpire’s call, clipping the top of off stump. Unlikely to be given so far down the pitch though.
Clarke gets off the mark with a single through cover. Smith gives him the strike back, Clarke takes one more run to the same spot.
10th over: Australia 49-2 (Smith 15, Clarke 0)
Smith immediately takes over the responsibility of scoring, driving a full ball from Mathews dead straight along the ground for four, then drives a shorter ball through point for the same result.
9th over: Australia 41-2 (Smith 7, Clarke 0)
The change works for Mathews. Prasanna came on for Senanayake, bowled that same leg-stump line initially to be swept for four, but lured Finch down two balls later. Michael Clarke walks to the crease and might finally get to play a substantial innings in this tournament.
WICKET! Finch 24, st Sangakkara b Prasanna
Great bowling change! Seekkuge Prasanna comes on for his first over of leg breaks, senses that Finch is going to charge him, and bowls an arm ball just past Finch’s legs. Sangakkara demolishes the stumps and both openers are gone, gone, gone.
8th over: Australia 37-1 (Finch 20, Smith 7)
More third-umpire weirdness. Can someone sort these guys out? There’s a massive appeal as Angelo Mathews, in his first over, breaks past Smith’s drive and hits Smith on the back leg. The back leg is straight and the ball hits him quite high, and maybe just outside the line of the stumps. It’s given not out and Sri Lanka review. It’s a bad review - lbw calls have to be dead wrong to be overturned, and that one has a bit of doubt seeing it live. But somehow the third umpire doesn’t even look at Hawk-Eye - he decides that Snicko reveals an inside edge on the ball, when in fact Snicko is registering the ball hitting the back pad.
So Hawk-Eye probably wasn’t going to give it out, by my reading, but we didn’t even get to see whether that was the case. What?
The only runs from the over went to Finch, driving three from the first ball.
7th over: Australia 34-1 (Finch 17, Smith 7)
Smith taking his time to gauge this attack. He gets two runs from Malinga’s first ball after Finch insists on the second from a misfield, but after that Smith blocks and leaves most of the over. Nothing loose to hit.
6th over: Australia 32-1 (Finch 17, Smith 5)
The Senanayake Experiment keeps playing but the record is starting to skip. He drags one down outside leg stump and Finch drags the sweep shot down to backward square for four. Then there’s three more to cover from a short ball, and a couple of singles.
5th over: Australia 24-1 (Finch 10, Smith 4)
I can tell you for certain now that Shane Watson is no longer Australia’s first drop. In comes Esteban Smith, retaining the position that nearly delivered him a century last outing against Bangladesh. There’ll be happy comment-board pundits nationwide: Smith to No3 has been a theme since his record-breaking Test season.
Smith is nearly bowled leg stump as he shuffles across and Malinga targets the timber behind his heels. It doesn’t miss by much but is called a wide - unfair, I say. Malinga pins Smith down for the next three balls, but Smith cover-drives the last ball of the over for four.
WICKET! Warner 9 (12 balls), c Prasanna b Malinga
There’s the breakthrough. Malinga bowls the slower ball, holds it up slightly, and Warner is done by the pace, pushing at it but only bunting it to cover where the catch is held.
4th over: Australia 19-0 (Finch 10, Warner 9)
Amazing shot from Warner, as he makes room outside the leg stump and creams the drive through cover. Senanayake being challenged here.
3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Finch 9, Warner 4)
Malinga to Finch. He lands five deliveries right, keeping the line tight and giving Finch no room. But he errs with one, wider, and Finch slashes it through cover. Four, then a darted single from the final ball.
2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Finch 4, Warner 4)
Here’s a sting - the off-spinner Senanayake takes the second over. A good move given how slap-happy these two get against pace. He’s bowling hard on the leg stump, and they’re not quite sure what to do with him. Finch nearly gloves one to Sangakkara with some extra bounce, then edges one away through fine leg for three.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Finch 1, Warner 3)
Fierce start! Malinga rips in a yorker to Finch, who almost falls over his own feet keeping it out. Angelo Mathews removes the second slip and brings him into short cover. Malinga immediately draws the edge from Finch through second slip for a single. Jayawardene threw himself across from first but could just get a finger on it. Why do you remove a slip after one ball? Why, oh why? Proper edge, Finch was so nearly gone.
Warner punches three runs off the back foot from the final ball of the over. Good start from Malinga, who’s been struggling for condition after a long injury lay-off but is getting better.
This is going to be some game. Australia’s batting has been power-packed over the last year or so, and are pretty good at savaging bowlers who aren’t quite up to the mark. Sri Lanka have a few that aren’t especially threatening. But as Australia’s collapse against New Zealand showed, they can land in a heap when the bowling is right.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have been batting like a dream since their sputtering effort against Afghanistan. In their last couple of games against Bangladesh and England they’ve scored over 600 runs for two wickets lost, with Kumar Sangakkara scoring centuries in both games. Not just that, but they’re his fastest two ODI centuries, coming in his 400th and 401st games. Safe to say he’s improving with age.
Can the Australian pace battery overcome Sri Lanka’s mighty top order? Can Australia’s hitters dominate Sri Lanka’s understrength bowling? These are the points of contention in this game. The pitch may yet have a say.
As ever, send me your thoughts, questions, insights, criticism, encouragement, observations, and prose poems throughout the day, either on Twitter @GeoffLemonSport, or email at geoff.lemon@theguardian.com.
Australia win the toss and will bat
Reckon that’s a big toss to win, that one.
Seekkuge Prasanna, Upul Tharanga and Sachithra Senanayake are the new players for Sri Lanka, all on their World Cup debuts. Dimuth Karunaratne and Rangana Herath are out injured, with Herath especially a huge loss - the slow left-armer with the guile and bounce to trouble everybody in all forms of the game. Pacer Suranga Lakmal was omitted.
Australia have left out Mitch Marsh and Josh Hazelwood, as per pre-match suggestions, and brought in Xavier Doherty and Shane Watson. Yes, he’s back! Only days after some celebrated his axing. Apparently it’s going to be a dry turning pitch so they wanted those inclusions for their skills and experience with the ball in such conditions. Also I think Mitch Marsh is a bit proppy with a foot problem.
Australia
Finch
Warner
Watson
Clarke*
Smith
Maxwell
Faulkner
Haddin†
Johnson
Starc
Doherty
Sri Lanka
Thirimanne
Dilshan
Sangakkara†
Jayawardene
Mathews*
Chandimal
Tharanga
Perera
Prasanna
Senanayake
Malinga
Frenzied Romans on country estates, loan me your easels. We’re not far now from getting underway in what will be a formative contest for the final make-up of Pool A at this World Cup. Australia versus Sri Lanka, with the loser to take third spot and probably a knockout path via South Africa to New Zealand, and the winner to take second place and a far less daunting knockout draw. It matters, it’s major, and it could be magic. Geoff Lemon with you for the first innings - let’s make it happen.
Geoff will be here presently to take you through proceedings at the SCG, but before he gets here have a watch of how Australia fared in their last outing, against Afghanistan. WARNING: it’s brutal.
