Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc yesterday claimed three wickets to help Australia dismiss Sri Lanka for a modest 195 in 40.2 overs in their fifth and final one-day international (ODI).
The hosts, who have already lost the series 1-3, got off to a solid start, but lost wickets regularly in Pallekele.
Openers Dhananjaya de Silva and Danushka Gunathilaka put together a 73-run partnership, Sri Lanka’s best first-wicket stand of the ODI series.
Photo: AP
However, Australia’s persistent attack took three wickets in nine deliveries to rattle the Sri Lankan top order with a mini-collapse.
Left-arm pacer James Faulkner had de Silva trudging back to the pavilion for 34. The batsman was beaten by the angle of the ball, giving a catch to mid-on in the 14th over.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa struck in the very next over to have Gunathilaka bowled round his legs for 39, after the batsman attempted a sweep while exposing his leg stump.
Starc, who was brought back for his second spell in the 16th over, then had stand-in skipper Dinesh Chandimal caught behind for one.
Kusal Mendis (33) and Upul Tharanga put on 43 for the fourth wicket to try and rebuild the innings, but the wickets kept tumbling.
Kusal Perera, who scored 14, might have suffered an umpiring error after reviewing his LBW dismissal off Travis Head.
Television replays suggested he had got an inside edge on to his pad, but third umpire Michael Gough thought otherwise.
The rest of the batting failed to put up any resistance as Starc returned to help remove the tail.
In yesterday’s other ODI, Pakistan captain Azhar Ali won the toss and elected to field in the fifth and final one-day international against England in Cardiff.
As of press time, England were 302-9 after their 50 overs and Pakistan were yet to bat.
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