COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – June 22 (ONLINE) Sri Lanka on Tuesday edged past Australia at the final ball of the fourth One Day International (ODI) match to take the five-match series away from Ausies.
With a tightly obtained four-run win, Sri Lanka gained insurmountable 3-1 lead in the series.
Colombo was jam-packed and fully charged on Tuesday as the Australians needed 18 runs of the last over, chasing a target of 259. Matthew Kuhnemann struck some boundaries early in the over but it went in vain, as the number 10 leftie could not score 5 of last ball. He was caught in the deep as Australians fell only 4 runs short.
Earlier in the day, SL’s Asalanka rescued Sri Lanka from a precarious 34-3 as he put on 101 runs with Dhananjaya de Silva, who made 60.
Asalanka’s ton helped Sri Lanka reach a reasonable 258, but the Australian bowlers kept taking crucial wickets in different intervals.
In reply, Australia lost skipper Aaron Finch for nought with Karunaratne trapping the opener lbw. Warner kept his cool and put on 63 runs with Mitchell Marsh who looked good for his 26 before he fell to Dunith Wellalage’s left-arm spin.
Australia lost Marnus Labuschagne and wicket-keeper/batsman Alex Carey after they got starts but fell to the Sri Lankan spinners.
De Silva bowled the left-handed Head for 27 and Maheesh Theekshana got Glenn Maxwell trapped lbw for one with a successful review after the on-field umpire denied the appeal. Cameron Green and Cummins attempted to turn the chase on in a 31-run stand but Vandersay bowled Green.
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