Wade takes Australia to 154/6 in 5th T20

Australia slammed 58 off the last five overs to reach 154 for six in the fifth and final Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday as they strive to complete a series whitewash.

The home side won all four previous games, three of them convincingly.

Skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and chose to bat, but it didn’t go to plan with Australia exposed early on by some impressive Sri Lankan bowling.

They slumped to 13 for two off five overs and were just 58 for three off 10 before late fireworks from Matthew Wade (43 off 27 balls) and Daniel Sams (18 off 15) set a competitive target.

Ben McDermott should have been out first ball when he pulled finger-spinner Maheesh Theekshana to Janith Liyanage, who put down a simple chance at mid-wicket in a horror start on his debut.

Under pressure to get the scoreboard moving, Finch, back as opener after Ashton Agar played the role in the last two games, swung his bat at Dushmantha Chameera in the fourth over and was caught for eight by Lahiru Kumara running backwards.

It was another failure for the captain, whose long lean spell has sparked talk that he could be dropped.

McDermott, playing the series in place of the resting David Warner, soon followed, out for three after slogging at Praveen Jayawickrama to leave Australia on 13 for two off five overs.

Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell slapped 23 off the next two overs before the dangerous Inglis suffered a blow to the helmet from Chameera.

He was fine, but a replay showed the ball clipped his glove on the way through and he was given out caught and bowled after a fiery 23, not happy as he stomped off.

Australia crawled to the half-way mark at 58 for three before Kumara bagged the key wickets of Marcus Stoinis (17) and Maxwell (29) in the same over.

It was left to Wade and Sams to hit out and add vital late runs.

AFP