Spectators are informed that hooters and horns are banned at cricket match venues and that security will confiscate them if found within the premises, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement today.
Having taken an early lead in the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series, Australia will aim to carry forward the momentum when they take on hosts Sri Lanka in the second game at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo today(24).
After a historic clean sweep against the visitors in the preceding Test series, Sri Lanka were expected to replicate their emphatic show in the limited-overs format as well, given the added advantage of the home conditions. However, Australia managed to draw first blood in coloured kits with a comfortable three-wicket win in the ODI series opener at the same venue on Sunday.
On a tricky surface that turned square from very early stages of the match, Australia restricted the home team to a manageable 227 from their quota of overs, despite a valiant 80 not out from Dinesh Chandimal, courtesy James Faulkner’s 4 for 38. Aaron Finch and skipper Steven Smith then passed the spin test that has been ailing the team since their arrival in the island nation with flying colours to lead the visitors to a victory.
Australia lost their in-form opener David Warner cheaply but Finch launched the chase with a whirlwind knock of 56 and Smith built on it with the middle-order batsmen to ensure smooth sailing. Despite bit of a wobble at the end, the reigning world champions got off the mark with 19 balls to spare.
The defeat sounded warning bells for the hosts who have banked on their spin department all through. Having said, with just 227 on the board to defend, it was a tough ask. There is no denying that the Sri Lankan batting unit needs a vast improvement in their performance. The side has, for too long, been dependent on the form of selected few at the top of the order. As Angelo Mathews admitted, it was the dramatic collapse triggered by Mitchell Starc and Faulkner in the middle-overs that turned the game on its head. Cruising at 124 for 2 despite Tillakratane Dilshan’s early departure, Sri Lanka lost their remaining eight wickets for a little over 100 runs.
The pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium came under severe criticism from both the camps, with Finch and home captain Mathews both labelling the track as ‘poor’. While it remains to be seen if the second ODI gets a better track, it is time for the home team to get their act together and level the series before Australia chip away.
When: Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2nd ODI on August 24 at 2:30 PM Local & IST
Where: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
What to expect: Rain is likely to make an appearance on the game day with thunderstorm predicted for the second half of the day.
Team News
Sri Lanka: Nuwan Pradeep, who made national comeback after missing the final two Tests against Australia, has been withdrawn from the ODI series after aggravating the hamstring injury. The selectors, though, chose to replace the seamer with Angelo Perera a middle-order batsman to strengthen their fragile batting line-up.
Australia: Barring last-minute surprises, it is highly unlikely that the visiting side will tinker with the line-up that earned them a win.
What they said
“The way Amila (Aponso) bowled (in the first ODI) was fantastic. This is actually the first time I’m seeing him. He bowled extremely well and I’m very pleased.” - Angelo Mathews on the 23-year-old spinner.
“I guess it’s something I could sit back and reflect on later on. Quite frankly I’m glad it’s finished now, I don’t have to hear about it or talk about it anymore. I was just glad I could contribute to a win.” - Mitchell Starc on his record of becoming the fastest bowler to 100 ODI scalps.
Did you know?
- If Steve Smith scores 43 runs in this ODI, he will become the eighth Australian captain to score 1000 runs, and his 23 innings would be the least to the landmark.
- If Dinesh Chandimal scores a half-century in the second ODI, he will become the first Sri Lankan to score fifty or more in six consecutive innings.
- David Warner averages 26.25 in eight ODIs in Asia with a solitary fifty. His scores read 24, 5, 24, 21, 43, 29, 56 and 8.
Squads
Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Angelo Mathews (Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Amila Aponso, Dhananjaya de Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Pradeep, Avishka Fernando, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Milinda Siriwardana
Australia: Steven Smith (Captain), David Warner, George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa
-Agencies
Having taken an early lead in the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series, Australia will aim to carry forward the momentum when they take on hosts Sri Lanka in the second game at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo today(24).
After a historic clean sweep against the visitors in the preceding Test series, Sri Lanka were expected to replicate their emphatic show in the limited-overs format as well, given the added advantage of the home conditions. However, Australia managed to draw first blood in coloured kits with a comfortable three-wicket win in the ODI series opener at the same venue on Sunday.
On a tricky surface that turned square from very early stages of the match, Australia restricted the home team to a manageable 227 from their quota of overs, despite a valiant 80 not out from Dinesh Chandimal, courtesy James Faulkner’s 4 for 38. Aaron Finch and skipper Steven Smith then passed the spin test that has been ailing the team since their arrival in the island nation with flying colours to lead the visitors to a victory.
Australia lost their in-form opener David Warner cheaply but Finch launched the chase with a whirlwind knock of 56 and Smith built on it with the middle-order batsmen to ensure smooth sailing. Despite bit of a wobble at the end, the reigning world champions got off the mark with 19 balls to spare.
The defeat sounded warning bells for the hosts who have banked on their spin department all through. Having said, with just 227 on the board to defend, it was a tough ask. There is no denying that the Sri Lankan batting unit needs a vast improvement in their performance. The side has, for too long, been dependent on the form of selected few at the top of the order. As Angelo Mathews admitted, it was the dramatic collapse triggered by Mitchell Starc and Faulkner in the middle-overs that turned the game on its head. Cruising at 124 for 2 despite Tillakratane Dilshan’s early departure, Sri Lanka lost their remaining eight wickets for a little over 100 runs.
The pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium came under severe criticism from both the camps, with Finch and home captain Mathews both labelling the track as ‘poor’. While it remains to be seen if the second ODI gets a better track, it is time for the home team to get their act together and level the series before Australia chip away.
When: Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2nd ODI on August 24 at 2:30 PM Local & IST
Where: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
What to expect: Rain is likely to make an appearance on the game day with thunderstorm predicted for the second half of the day.
Team News
Sri Lanka: Nuwan Pradeep, who made national comeback after missing the final two Tests against Australia, has been withdrawn from the ODI series after aggravating the hamstring injury. The selectors, though, chose to replace the seamer with Angelo Perera a middle-order batsman to strengthen their fragile batting line-up.
Australia: Barring last-minute surprises, it is highly unlikely that the visiting side will tinker with the line-up that earned them a win.
What they said
“The way Amila (Aponso) bowled (in the first ODI) was fantastic. This is actually the first time I’m seeing him. He bowled extremely well and I’m very pleased.” - Angelo Mathews on the 23-year-old spinner.
“I guess it’s something I could sit back and reflect on later on. Quite frankly I’m glad it’s finished now, I don’t have to hear about it or talk about it anymore. I was just glad I could contribute to a win.” - Mitchell Starc on his record of becoming the fastest bowler to 100 ODI scalps.
Did you know?
- If Steve Smith scores 43 runs in this ODI, he will become the eighth Australian captain to score 1000 runs, and his 23 innings would be the least to the landmark.
- If Dinesh Chandimal scores a half-century in the second ODI, he will become the first Sri Lankan to score fifty or more in six consecutive innings.
- David Warner averages 26.25 in eight ODIs in Asia with a solitary fifty. His scores read 24, 5, 24, 21, 43, 29, 56 and 8.
Squads
Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Angelo Mathews (Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Amila Aponso, Dhananjaya de Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Pradeep, Avishka Fernando, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Milinda Siriwardana
Australia: Steven Smith (Captain), David Warner, George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa
-Agencies
