MELBOURNE Friday: Chamara Kapugedera smashed a four off the last ball to give Sri Lanka a thrilling five-wicket victory over Australia in their first Twenty20 international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

The win kept Sri Lanka unbeaten in four T20 internationals in Australia and followed their 2-1 series win over South Africa last month.

The pulsating win was made possible by a dashing 52 off 37 balls by Asela Gunaratne, who was named man-of-the-match for his match-turning innings.

Gunaratne slammed seven fours to share in a decisive 60-run stand with Milinda Siriwardana to put the Sri Lankans just 18 runs short of victory with 17 balls remaining. It was a tense finish with skipper Aaron Finch making fielding changes before every ball to prevent Sri Lanka from getting home.

But it was Kapugedera who stood up to the pressure and slammed fast bowler Andrew Tye’s final delivery through the covers to the boundary rope for the winning hit.

The win put Sri Lanka one up in the series with two matches to play in Geelong on Sunday and Adelaide on Wednesday.

For a time it looked as though the Australians, playing without their leading stars, Steve Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood all on tour in India, would hold off the fast-finishing Sri Lankans.

The home side posted a competitive total of 168 for six off their 20 overs with skipper Finch smashing two sixes and two fours in his topscoring 43 off 34 balls.

Finch shared in an opening stand of 76 with T20I debutant Michael Klinger.

Klinger, making his debut at the age of 36 after starring with the Perth Scorchers in the domestic Big Bash League, hammered 38 off 32 balls with four boundaries.

Lasith Malinga, who has played virtually no cricket for nearly a year due to injuries, was an influential figure taking two wickets in two balls and taking two catches.

Malinga claimed the wickets of Travis Head for 31 off 24 balls and debutant Ashton Turner for 18 off 13 balls, both caught by Seekkugge Prasanna at deep mid-wicket.

Malinga finished with two wickets for 29 off his four overs.

Paceman Pat Cummins struck with the last ball of his opening over getting skipper Upul Tharanga to edge to wicketkeeper Tim Paine for a duck in the first over of the Sri Lanka innings. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa claimed the big wicket of free-scoring opener Niroshan Dickwella for 30 off 25 balls.

Dickwella, who slammed four fours and a six, looked to flick Zampa over mid-wicket only to lob a leading edge to Klinger at short third man in the ninth over.

Dilshan Munaweera smashed a breezy 44 off 29 balls with six fours before he hit a short ball from Zampa to mid-wicket where Finch took a head-high catch. But Gunaratne took charge and his half-century turned the tide to set up the thrilling victory for the Sri Lankans.

While Haddin acknowledged the New South Welshman desperately needed a score after starting his Test career with three single-figure contributions, he called for patience as Australia ushers in a new era.

Maddinson has been retained in Australia’s squad for the second Commonwealth Bank Test against Pakistan, starting on Boxing Day, but allrounder Hilton Cartwright has also been drafted in as a 13th member, and could replace Maddinson in the Test XI.

Captain Steve Smith flagged on Monday Australia might look to ease the load on pacemen Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird with an allrounder. The fast-bowling trio sent down 113 overs between them in the second innings of the home team’s 39-run triumph in Brisbane.

Cartwright, who averages 44.50 with the bat and 41.93 with the ball from in 16 first-class matches, was added to the squad yesterday.

Maddinson made a duck on debut against South Africa in Adelaide last month – undone by a rampant Kagiso Rabada with the pink ball under lights – before Australia powered to a seven-wicket victory.

The 24-year-old, who has an average of 36.64 at first-class level, followed up with scores one and four at the Gabba.

Steve Smith reacts moments after the drama

Maddinson was unfortunate in the second innings, arriving at the crease with Australia in search of quick runs before a declaration.

The aggressive left-hander has logged 235 runs at 39.16, including one century, from three Sheffield Shield matches this summer.

Quick Single: Cartwright added for Boxing Day

“He’s been a bit unlucky, to be honest,” Haddin said on Sky Sports Radio.

“He’s got a couple of good balls, he’s (played his first two games) against two pink balls which is a bit different, so I’m glad they’ve given him Melbourne to give him the opportunity to get some runs and I hope they give him the rest of the series.

“I know (interim chairman of selectors) Trevor Hohns said when he picked this squad that you’re going to have to be patient, and Nic Maddinson is one of those players I think.

“But you can’t hide behind the fact he needs a big score.”

Maddinson’s rocky road in Test career continues

Maddinson was one of five changes in a revamped line-up for the Adelaide Test against South Africa, with Matthew Renshaw and Peter Handscomb also making their debuts.

Renshaw scored 71 in the first innings in Brisbane, while Handscomb hammered his maiden Test century to back up the 54 he made in Adelaide.

“The bowlers got through a high workload in Brisbane and although everyone has pulled up okay, on reflection we wanted to give ourselves the option of including an allrounder in Melbourne to ease that workload somewhat,” Hohns said.

Cartwright reflects on training with Aussie squad

“To do that we wanted a batting allrounder, someone to bowl seam-up and capable of batting in the top six as well, and after considering several names we came to the conclusion that Hilton fits that bill.

“We have seen plenty of him, he has performed well this season and we believe that if called upon he will do an excellent job.”

Australia’s Boxing Day Test squad: David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers, Hilton Cartwright

Warner smashed 119 off 115 balls to propel the Australians to an imposing 378 for five after being sent into bat. They then bowled out the Black Caps for 262 off 47.2 overs at the bat-friendly Manuka Oval.

New Zealand had to win in Canberra to keep alive their hopes of retaining the trophy after losing by 68 runs in the opening game in Sydney on Sunday.

Warner led the way in Australia’s third-highest ODI total and was supported by skipper Steve Smith’s 72 off 76 balls and Travis Head’s 57 from 32 balls, while Mitchell Marsh bludgeoned seven sixes in a unbeaten 76 off just 40 balls.

The Black Caps made a spirited attempt to chase Australia’s hefty total and were 177 for three when Jimmy Neesham fell in the 31st over for 74, ending a 125-run stand with skipper Kane Williamson.

Williamson was dismissed nine overs later for 81 off 80 balls with five fours and two sixes, and with him went New Zealand’s faint hopes of reeling in the Australian target.

Williamson’s gamble on sending the Australians into bat backfired spectacularly when the home side feasted on a perfect batting wicket.

The pugnacious Warner set the tone with his 10th ODI century — the third century in his last five ODI innings and his first against New Zealand.

Only three other Australian batsmen have scored more hundreds in ODIs — Ricky Ponting (30), Mark Waugh (18) and Adam Gilchrist (16).

“It was a fantastic wicket and once you keep wickets in hand you can make 100 runs in the last 10 overs,” Warner said.

“It was great batting with the skipper (Smith) and running between the wickets. This year is going great.” Warner was out to a low catch from Williamson at cover off medium-pacer Colin de Grandhomme in the 37th over, ending a 145-run partnership with Smith.

Smith followed up his career-best ODI score of 164 in Sydney with 72.

The Australian skipper, who was struck a painful blow in the groin by a de Grandhomme delivery on 56, sliced to Mitchell Santner at deep point.

Head hit his second half-century of the series before he was caught off Tim Southee.

Marsh provided late fireworks with some prodigious hitting, including three consecutive sixes off Matt Henry in a lusty cameo.

Smith said: “330, 340 runs was probably par. 380 was a big total. You need a lot of things to go right to chase it down.” The Black Caps lost both openers by the ninth over, with Tom Latham caught and bowled by Josh Hazlewood for four and Martin Guptill caught behind off Pat Cummins for 45.

Neesham looked in good touch with 74 off 83 balls before he was caught in the deep by Mitchell Starc off Josh Hazlewood in the 31st over.

James Faulkner got Colin Munro to hole out on 11 to long-on, where Marsh took a safe catch, and Starc had de Grandhomme caught behind for 12.

Williamson was deceived by a Pat Cummins slower ball and found Warner in the covers to leave the Black Caps on 232 for six.

Wickets tumbled among the lower order, with Cummins finishing with four for 41 as Australia cruised to victory ahead of Friday’s third and final ODI in Melbourne.

“Australia is one of the best sides in the world and at home they are the best side in the world,” Williamson said.

“The ‘death’ overs really hurt us, and Australia have been showing us how to build partnerships. “

Smith’s side depart for a tour of South Africa on Tuesday, with pacemen Starc and Josh Hazlewood both rested from the five-match ODI series that starts next week.

But Starc won’t be putting his feet up in a traditional sense.

The left-armer required 30 stitches after a freak fielding accident at training last week, when he slashed his leg on a stump that had been dug into the ground.

Starc held the catch but Smith was among shocked teammates to see the resultant deep gash that prompted medical staff to call an ambulance.

“It wasn’t nice at all. It was probably one of the most gruesome things I’ve ever seen,” Smith said on Monday.

“He was aware it (the stump) was there. It was just one of those things, you go for the ball and sort of almost block everything out. As he was catching it, a few us were saying ‘no, just don’t go for it’.

“He wasn’t overly impressed … he was about to have a bit of a rest and chill out, they’re the kind of things you don’t want happening.

“It wasn’t great but I’m sure in a couple of weeks he’ll be ok and back into things .. we’re confident he’ll be ok for the first Test.”

Starc was expected to play a handful of games for NSW in the second half of the domestic one-day competition, which starts on October 1.

The express paceman, who will be in a knee brace for a further fortnight, will now instead aim to be ready for the Blues’ Sheffield Shield opener that begins on October 25.

Should Starc suffer any setbacks in his recovery he will be racing the clock to be fit by November 3, when Australia’s three-Test series against South Africa starts in Perth.

In sharp contrast Smith is feeling refreshed after he was sent home to rest during a recent ODI series in Sri Lanka, much to the consternation of many former players.

“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion .. we could have got the messaging across a little bit better,” Smith said.

“We knew a fair way out that I was going to be leaving … (but) it shocked a few people.

“It will do me the world of good looking at what’s coming up.”

Smith hoped Australia could gain a mental edge over the Proteas by winning the upcoming ODI series but acknowledged the next few months would feature a lot of tough cricket.

“The South African team probably won’t be too different from the one-dayers to the Test matches,” Smith said.

“It’s a very fiercely-contested series every time you play against South Africa.”

This is not the foot-hole in the bowling crease, which Australia bowlers had reported to be so deep, that by now, Mitchell Starc should able to travel through it to Rio, to watch brother Brandon compete in the high-jump.

This hole was merely figurative. (Though, again, this is not a jibe at Sri Lanka Cricket administrators’ travel-and-expenses account.)

No, this was the kind of hole that Sri Lanka have routinely found themselves in Tests over the past year; the kind of hole from which they have not often lately recovered. The kind of hole from which, on this occasion, only their best player could haul them out.

Australia were skipping along gaily, at 267 for 1, only 88 runs behind. Soon they had lost a wicket, but were nevertheless still skipping – a triple-figure first-innings lead in their sight.

Then along came Rangana Herath. Think of him here as a fireman – probably in an oversized kit and a hat that falls off – sending a rope ladder down to teammates wallowing in the pit. With six for 81 in this innings, the rescue was almost single-handed. With the last four wickets falling for 26 runs, the salvage operation took surprisingly little time.

This 25th five-for of Herath’s career is all the more remarkable, for his having been hit on the box on day two. This is the kind of injury that Sri Lankan men of his age would take several weeks off work for. It is the kind of complaint that would see them sullenly recovering in front of the TV, a drink in hand and ice-pack at the crotch; making whimpering grunts when rising from the settee; forming pathetic pained faces when wives came in with bowls of soup.

Herath though – a hobble now added to his usual waddle – was seen warming up again in the outfield only an hour after the blow had been received. He was bowling at Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh before day’s end.

In the morning, on day three, he was pivoting very gingerly at the crease, but got through his overs cheaply, even if his balls did not quite have their usual shape. By the evening though, when perhaps the pain had eased a little, the flight and subtlety returned, as did the dip and bite. All through this innings, Herath’s willpower triumphed over his groin, and folks as diverse as Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton may say there is no more heroic victory for a man than that.

“Rangana’s got some pain in the groin as a result of the blow, and it’s quite a challenge for the physio at the moment,” coach Graham Ford said after play. “But I can’t say enough about the bloke. I was joking in the dressing room and saying he’s my all-time sporting hero. He’s gone ahead of Roger Federer.”

This may seem like hyperbole, but let us consider the facts. Federer may have had to do battle with Rafael Nadal for his titles, and lately Novak Djokovic. But has Federer ever had to contend with Sri Lanka’s selectors, whose first response to any uncertainty, for a while, was to drop Herath from the team? Usain Bolt may be part of the reigning Olympic relay team, but has he ever had to race with teammates as useless at holding batons, as Herath’s teammates often are with catches?

“He’s injured and he’s bowling on one leg,” Ford said. “He’s just got so much guts and fight. For an older guy to do that it – ignites the fight within the younger group. After his nasty incident batting, he makes some brilliant diving stops in the dirt off his own bowling. If you’ve got the old man throwing himself around like that, the youngsters have no excuse.”

Australia finished only 24 runs ahead in the first innings, and Sri Lanka now find themselves only two runs behind. They will set themselves up nicely for a whitewash with 250 more. But if the top order fails again, Herath may find himself needing to rescue Sri Lanka from another hole, with bat and ball.

It is possibly Josh Hazlewood feels guilty for Herath’s injury, but he shouldn’t bother. It is Herath’s teammates that kick the old man in the gonads most of all.

Chandimal (132) continued Sri Lanka’s superb fightback with his seventh test century after they were reduced to 26 for five on the first morning with the hosts’ innings finally coming to an end just before the tea break.

Australia, who face the very real prospect of losing their top test ranking and suffering a 3-0 series sweep, lost David Warner (11) early to Dhananjaya de Silva but Smith (61) and Marsh (64) then added 120 for the unbroken second wicket.

At stumps, the touring side reached 141 for one wicket, trailing Sri Lanka by 214 runs.

Earlier, Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc picked up the last two wickets to fall, including the one of Chandimal, to complete his seventh career five-wicket haul and take his series tally to 22.

After resuming on 214-5, De Silva (129) and Chandimal put paid to Australia’s hopes of quick wickets by extending their sixth-wicket stand to 211 before the overnight centurion became off-spinner Nathan Lyon’s third victim.

Shaun Marsh, who had dropped De Silva on Saturday after the batsman had completed his maiden hundred, managed to hold on to the catch at forward short leg this time.

Dilruwan Perera (16) was the only other batsman to fall in the first session, giving left-arm spinner Jon Holland his first wicket of the innings as the batsman lofted a drive to Lyon at long on as he looked to up the tempo.

Chandimal, 26, was mostly watchful and concentrated hard during his knock but broke free to move into the 80s when he reverse swept Lyon for a superb six over the deep point boundary.

He turned Lyon for a single to square leg to complete his hundred off 281 balls, celebrating with a loud yell as he leapt in the air. He was dropped by Australia captain Steven Smith off the very next delivery.

Chandimal and Rangana Herath added 73 runs for the eighth wicket, deepening the frustration for Australia.

The partnership ended with Herath retiring hurt after suffering a body blow against paceman Josh Hazlewood.

Left-arm paceman Starc had Chandimal edging behind on the second delivery of his new spell and then dismissed Suranga Lakmal in his next over to complete his third consecutive five-wicket haul.

The win was only Sri Lanka’s second win against Australia in 27 Tests and it inflicted on Steve Smith his first loss as Australia’s Test captain in 12 Tests. Sri Lanka last won under the captaincy of Sanath Jayasuriya when they beat Steve Waugh’s Australians by six wickets in 1999 and it was also in Kandy at Asgiriya.
Final wicket

Australia chasing 268 for victory were dismissed 15 minutes before tea on the fifth and final day for 161 with left-arm spinner Rangana Herath taking the final wicket to end with figures of 5 for 54 – the 24th time he has done that in his illustrious career. Herath ended with a match bag of nine for 103 and received excellent support from debutant spinner Lakshan Sandakan who finished with seven for 107. Smith top scored with 55 off 125 balls with one four but otherwise no one made more than 29 as the Lankan spinners dominated the Australian batting on a tricky surface with only six of the 88.3 overs being bowled by fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep.

Peter Nevill: Caught behind

Nathan Lyon: LBW

The Australians came well prepared to counter the spin hiring the services of former Sri Lankan spin king Muthiah Muralitharan as a consultant prior the start of the Test series. But there is nothing like facing spinners in the middle as they found out for themselves.

Any chance Australia had of making a game of it was destroyed in the first session of play which commenced one hour late due to rain which was a concern when play began. There was only two results in the Test provided there were no interruptions to bad weather and that was a win for Sri Lanka or a win for Australia. As it turned out Australia lost the plot when resuming at 83-3 they slumped to 141-7 by lunch in the 90 minutes play.

Herath ripped out three of them starting off with a brilliant return catch to send back Adam Voges for 12 and following it up with the wickets of Mitch Marsh (25) and Smith (55). Sandakan whose chinaman none of the Australian batsmen were able to read added the wickets of Mitchell Starc (0) and Nathan Lyon (8) either side of lunch as they slid to 157-8. With Australia facing defeat Steve O’Keefe whose tour of Sri Lanka ends with this Test because of a hamstring injury walked in and with Phil Nevill put up a brave front defying the Lankan bowlers for 107 minutes and 98 balls during which period he made only one scoring stroke a swept boundary off Sandakan.

Both of them dug in to frustrate whatever Sri Lanka threw at them playing a defensive role that saw them add only four runs in partnership for the ninth wicket off 178 balls. The pair was quite content to play down maiden over after maiden and they did it for 28 consecutive overs as the score stood stagnant at 161.With tea approaching and some dark clouds also hovering around Australia were hoping to cling onto a draw. But luck was not with them as the rain held and their defiance was ended by another debutant Dhananjaya de Silva who had Nevill (9) finally edging an off-break to wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal. With the resistance broken it was not long before Sri Lanka grabbed the last Australian wicket as Herath eventually got through the defence of O’Keefe to bowl him leaving Josh Hazlewood unbeaten on nought.
Young team

The scenes of jubilation that followed was one of relief for Angelo Mathews and his young team who had gone through a tough six months and quite recently without a single win on the tour of England except against associate member Ireland. The fact that 15 of the 40 wickets that fell in the match were to leg before decisions tells how difficult the pitch was for the batsmen. In that context man of the match Kusal Mendis’ knock of 176 stands out like a beacon.

The second Test starts at Galle on August 4.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka 1st innings 117 all out
(D de Silva 24, K Perera 20;
Josh Hazlewood 3-21, Nathan Lyon 3-12)
Australia 1st innings 203 all out
(A. Voges 47; Rangana Herath 4-49, Lakshan Sandakan 4-58
Sri Lanka 2nd innings 353 all out
(Kusal Mendis 176; Mitchell Starc 4-84)

Australia 2nd Innings (Overnight Australia 83 for three)
J. Burns b Sandakan 29
D. Warner b Herath 01
U. Khawaja lbw b D. Perera 18
S. Smith lbw b Herath 55
A. Voges c & b Herath 12
M. Marsh lbw b Herath 25
P. Nevill c Chandimal b De Silva 09
M. Starc c & b Sandakan 00
N. Lyon lbw b Sandakan 08
S. O’Keefe b Herath 04
J. Hazlewood not out 00
Extras: 00
Total: (all out in 88.3 overs) 161

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Warner), 2-33 (Khawaja), 3-63 (Burns)
4-96 (Voges), 5-139 (Marsh), 6-140 (Smith)
7-141 (Starc), 8-157 (Lyon), 9-161 (Nevill)
10-161 (O’Keefe)
Bowling: Pradeep 6-3-16-0
Herath 33.3-16-54-5
D. Perera 13-3-30-1
Sandakan 25-8-49-3
De Silva 11-7-12-1

Shaun Marsh anchored Australia to the cusp of victory before losing his wicket on 49, and the battling Kiwis set up a tense finish under the floodlights by also dismissing Peter Nevill to leave the home side seven wickets down.

Much to the crowd’s relief Peter Siddle, whose ailing grandmother passed away overnight, cracked the winning runs with a hobbling Mitchell Starc as his batting partner, to clinch a 2-0 series victory over the gallant Black Caps. Australia won the first Brisbane Test by 208 runs and the second Perth Test was drawn.

The match was redemption for Marsh, who has struggled to hold down a place in the Australian team with inconsistent batting performances over his four years at Test level.

“It was fantastic for Shaun to get an opportunity,” said skipper Steve Smith. “He’s been batting extremely well and the way he played under pressure with his brother to put a partnership together was really crucial for us at that stage.”

The pink ball developed for day-night Tests triumphed over the bat in a fast-paced Test which attracted a total attendance of 123,736. The aim of the experiment is to bring the crowds back to the long form of the game.

“The bowlers have dominated this game and it’s great for cricket,” Smith said. It was the first three-day Test match at the Adelaide Oval in 64 years — since the West Indies beat Australia by six wickets.

“I thought it was an outstanding Test match. It was closely fought. We’d dearly have loved an extra few runs today, but it wasn’t to be,” said Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum. “It’s pretty hard to separate the two teams over the last two Test matches.”

After being set 187 to win, the hosts were rocked by the double loss of key batsmen Smith and David Warner in the space of seven balls.

New Zealand earlier lost their last five wickets in the day’s first session to be bowled out for 208, a lead of 186.

Man-of-the-match paceman Josh Hazlewood led the Australian attack in the absence of the injured Mitchell Starc, taking six for 70 off 24.5 overs.

The Kiwis, who had resumed on 116 for five, lost their last five wickets for 92. Santner top-scored with an impressive 45 off 88 balls.

AFP

In reply to Australia’s formidable 559 for nine declared on a placid wicket, the Kiwis were 510 for six at stumps, trailing by just 49 runs.

Ross Taylor had emerged from a form slump and scored his second Test double century to be a career-best 235 not out, with Mark Craig on seven.

Williamson became one of the four youngest players to reach 12 Test centuries when he made 166, while Starc bowled what is believed to be the fastest recorded delivery in Test cricket.

Williamson rarely looked troubled in posting his second century in as many matches, before mistiming a pull shot off Josh Hazlewood and was caught at mid-on by Mitchell Johnson to end a record 265-run stand with Taylor, a new benchmark for New Zealand in Tests against Australia.

He faced 250 balls in 390 minutes and hit 24 boundaries.

The 25-year-old made 140 and 59 in the first Test at the Gabba, which New Zealand lost by 208 runs, and continued that form in Perth.

It was his 12th Test century and only three other players have scored as many centuries at the same age — the others being Sachin Tendulkar (16), Don Bradman (13) and Alastair Cook (12).

Williamson has made centuries in five of his last seven Tests against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England and Australia, and in that time he has scored 1,118 runs at 111.80.

Taylor was a little less sure at the crease and flirted with disaster on a couple of occasions, but recovered to post his 13th Test hundred and looked increasingly comfortable during his innings. It was a welcome performance for the classy Taylor, who has been struggling with form for some time and had not scored a Test century since November last year.

In a game where records have been tumbling with incredible regularity, Taylor posted a new benchmark for visiting players at the WACA and also became the first New Zealander to score a Test double century against Australia.

AFP