Both teams acknowledged they overreacted after the end of the match that Sri Lanka won by four runs. PHOTO: REUTERS
Australian and Sri Lankan players officially made peace following a fiery end to their final Twenty20 international won by the tourists off the last ball on Monday, according to Cricket Australia.
They also sought to play down the angry exchanges as the two sides walked off the pitch after Sri Lanka won by two runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Trouble erupted when all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, needing four runs from the final ball to clinch victory for Australia, told the Sri Lankans, in no uncertain terms, to get on with it.
Sri Lanka veteran Mahela Jayawardene yelled back at Maxwell. After the last ball was finally delivered the pair jostled in an angry face-to-face exchange.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade and captain George Bailey also bickered with Jayawardene and bowler Thisara Perera during the on-field handshakes.
Bailey put the dispute down to ‘passion’ and ‘heat of the moment’.
“People care about the game and care about the way they play,” he said. “I know we get along very well with this side. I think it was all just heat-of-the-moment stuff.
Jayawardene agreed. “To be honest it was just the heat of the moment. Things happen and you exchange a few words,” he told reporters. “They play it hard and we play it hard. After the game you are friends.”
The tourists won the first T20 match by five wickets at the Sydney Olympic Stadium on Saturday night. The one-day series was drawn 2-2 after Australia took the Test series 3-0.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2013.
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