3rd ODI: Sri Lanka swing out hosts to take lead

Australia suffer lowest ODI total in 27 years.

BRISBANE: Sri Lanka found prodigious swing yesterday to shoot out Australia for 74 runs, their lowest One-Day International total in 27 years, to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

The tourists also swung their bats at everything Australia threw at them, missing frequently and losing six wickets before struggling to 75, in a bizarre match that ended with thirty overs to spare.

Mitchell Johnson led Australia’s riposte with three wickets for 11 runs off just three overs.

But the hosts put down three catches and fumbled a clear run-out chance to forego any real hope of defending such a low total.

“A horrible day to be honest, our batting performance was very poor,” admitted captain Michael Clarke. “We are really disappointed.”

Man-of-the-match Nuwan Kulasekara did the damage for Sri Lanka, taking five wickets for 22 while Lasith Malinga picked up three for 14.

Clarke won the toss and decided to bat on what he called ‘a really good wicket’. However his team fell to a prolonged inswing onslaught in the third match of a series of five. The captain refused to make excuses.

“I think the wicket was fine, there’s always a bit of pace and bounce. We have no excuse. Our execution needs to improve in two days’ time. It’s going to be tough.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2013.