Australia wrap up T20 series in Sri Lanka
Australia has survived a middle-order batting collapse to edge Sri Lanka by three wickets to wrap up their three-match Twenty20 series.
South Australia's Kane Richardson took career best T20I figures in Australia's win over Sri Lanka last night. Photo: Eranga Jayawardena/AP.
Veteran wicketkeeper Matthew Wade (26*) handled the immense pressure of batting with the tail to secure victory with 13 balls to spare in Colombo last night as the visitors took as Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The reigning T20 world champions have now won 12 of their last 14 games in the format, a dramatic turnaround after losing eight of 10 matches during tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh last year.
Chasing Sri Lanka’s mediocre total of 9-124, openers Aaron Finch and David Warner came out intent on powering Australia to victory as quickly as possible.
Only a night earlier, the same pair blasted Australia to a 10-wicket win when they passed Sri Lanka’s score of 128 with six overs to spare.
But the Lions showed far more fight in the second match as Wanindu Hasaranga weaved some magic with Australia collapsing to 7-99.
The legspinner took figures of 4-33, and almost secured a hat-trick after removing Glenn Maxwell and Ashton Agar in consecutive balls.
But Wade was able to steady the innings as he received solid support from fast bowler Jhye Richardson.
Pressure is set to increase on Steve Smith’s spot in the T20 side after the Test star unsuccessfully challenged an lbw decision and was out for five.
South Australian paceman Kane Richardson starred with career-best T20I figures of 4-30, taking three wickets in the final over.
“The last two games have been really random and frantic, but we’ve managed to stay calm; it probably didn’t look that way with the bat,” Richardson said.
“I think it’s just the product of this environment at the moment and the opposition are just really up and about to win.”
With star quick Mitchell Starc sidelined after suffering a finger injury, Maxwell was given the new ball and struck in the first over after Finch won the toss and elected to bowl.
Sri Lanka stumbled to 2-7 before Charith Asalanka (39) and Kusal Mendis (36) steadied the innings with a 66-run stand.
Jhye Richardson finished with career-best T20I figures of 3-26, while Josh Hazlewood (0-16) was treated with extreme caution by Sri Lanka’s batters after his player-of-the-match performance of 4-16 in game one.
Saturday’s third and final match in Kandy will be a dead-rubber ahead of a five-match ODI series, starting on June 14.
– AAP
