AUS WON
ODI
AUS beat SL by 87 runs
Man of the Match - Aaron Finch
AUS
334-7
50.0/50 Ovrs
 
247-10
45.5/50 Ovrs
SL
ICC Cricket World Cup, 2019 |Match 20 |6/15/2019
The Oval, London
Commentary
  • Done with this match. Sri Lanka competed well but didn't have enough in their tank to get over the line. There is another match going on at the moment where South Africa have started their chase against Afghanistan. You can switch over to the concerned tab to get all the updates. On Sunday, the arch-rivals, India and Pakistan will be locking horns in the much-awaited game of this World Cup. Let's hope the weather holds up and we get a full game. The action will begin at 1030 local (0930 GMT). Do join us then. Cheers!
  • Australia skipper, Aaron Finch is up for a chat once again. Says they were not up to the mark with the new balls but his bowlers did well. Mentions Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne batted really nicely and their bowlers aimed at the top of off but they had to change their plans quickly. Admits it was nice to have a long boundary at one side for Maxwell as it was not easy to get 10 overs out of him in Taunton where the boundaries were short. Reckons they are improving with each game and they were excellent in the middle overs. Credits Maxwell, Behrendorff and Richardson for how they bowled and says Starc is a world class bowler. States it depends on the conditions as to what team they will pick, if he feels the conditions allow them to get 10 out of a part-timer then fine or they have to go with an all-rounder. Ends by saying they have played really well but there are still places they can improve.
  • Sri Lanka skipper, Dimuth Karunaratne says it was a pretty good wicket for batting and he expected it to move around early on but it did not . Reckons they bowled well in the first 25 overs but then Smith and Finch batted well. States they came back superbly later on with the ball. Mentions they did get a good start but could not capitalize as the middle order failed to handle the pressure. Further adds Cummins and Starc are world class bowlers but they have played against them before and they did know what to do against them but could not execute the plans. Ends by saying they lost a couple of games to rain and they will look to play well in the games ahead.
  • Man of the Match, Aaron Finch says it was nice to get a few drives early, it is key to get his balance right at the start. States it's a good wicket and he was ensuring that his balance is good right from the start and he does not fall over. Mentions the Lankan bowlers were sharp early on and he had to play well. Further adds they lost a couple of wickets when he was about to launch so they had to take it deep. Praises Smith for the way he played and says he is an exceptional player, who rotates the strike nicely and also finds the gap brilliantly. Ends by saying Maxwell is brilliant when he is hitting it well.
  • It's yet another good win for Australia, their fourth in this World Cup and they have now jumped to the number one position in the points table. However, once again it was not a clinical performance. Their batting fared exceedingly well for most parts and powered by Aaron Finch's century, they posted a massive total on the board. But, the way they finished their innings wasn't up to the mark. To add to that, their bowling with the new balls was way below par. Things improved though later on and courtesy a fiery spell by Mitchell Starc, they managed to claw their way back in the match. The speedster finished with a 4-wicket haul and was well assisted by Kane Richardson, who also bagged a 3-fer. It will be unfair not to mention about Glenn Maxwell's 10 overs. It's because of his spell, the Aussies managed to slow down things and as a fifth bowler, he did an exemplary job.
  • Sri Lanka needed to build partnerships after a great century opening stand but that didn't happen. Karunaratne held one end strongly but the batsmen who followed didn't contribute much. Kusal Mendis spent some time in the middle but he also went nowhere with his knock. Also, the Lankan skipper slowed down a bit as he approached his century and that resulted in the required run rate taking a hit. When he departed three runs short of his century, Sri Lanka required 149 runs off 107 balls and the middle order failed to handle the pressure. It was a meek surrender eventually and the chase that started with a lot of promise ended on a sad note for the Islanders.
  • Kangaroos have quietened the Lankan Lions! It was a roaring beginning from the Sri Lankan openers and they set the perfect platform for this big run chase. Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera dominated the Australian pacers in Powerplay 1 and pushed the defending champions on the back foot. Under pressure, Australia decided to hang in there as in 300-plus chases, it's always a matter of a wicket or two. Mitchell Starc provided that and from thereon the scoring rate started to dip.
  • 45.5
    W
    Pat Cummins to N Pradeep, OUT! There is the final wicket! Australia have finally managed to take it. Cummins is the man who finishes things off. Pradeep, like he has been doing, makes room again. Cummins bowls it full and follows him. Nuwan looks to go downtown but the ball kisses the outside edge and goes into the hands of the keeper. AUSTRALIA WIN BY 87 RUNS!
  • 45.4
    1
    Pat Cummins to de Silva, Another short one on middle, Dhananjaya pulls it gently towards mid-wicket for one.
  • 45.3
    0
    Pat Cummins to de Silva, Slower one on off, Dhananjaya pushes it to covers.
  • 45.2
    0
    Pat Cummins to de Silva, Good length on off, de Silva defends it towards point.
  • 45.1
    0
    Pat Cummins to de Silva, Bangs it short and on middle, de Silva looks to paddle but misses.
  • END OF OVER 45 | 6 Runs & 0 Wkt | SL 246/9
  • 44.6
    0
    K Richardson to N Pradeep, Swing and a miss! Once again it is outside leg. Pradeep swings after making room but misses. Importantly, he survives.
  • 44.5
    1
    K Richardson to de Silva, In the air... safe! Short and on middle, de Silva looks to pull but the ball gets big on him. A top edge is produced which falls safe in the mid-wicket region. A single taken.
  • 44.4
    4
    K Richardson to de Silva, FOUR! Just over! Dhananjaya once again looks to paddle. It is outside off and he ends up dragging it just over the man at short fine leg this time for a boundary.
  • 44.3
    0
    K Richardson to de Silva, NOT OUT! That has bounced before the hands! Dhananjaya looks to paddle but hits it uppishly towards Jason who takes it but is not sure whether it has carried or not. The umpires, after a chat, take it upstairs. The soft signal is NOT OUT! Replays roll in and after a few of angles, the third umpire rules it in the favor of the batsman.
  • Dhananjaya de Silva has played an uppish shot towards short fine leg. Jason Behrendorff stationed there goes down low to catch the ball but then shakes his head. He's not sure whether it carried to him or not. The two umpires get together and then refer it upstairs. Soft signal is not out. The third umpire is watching many angles. Seems like it has bounced just in front. Let's wait for the final verdict.
  • 44.2
    0
    K Richardson to de Silva, Very full and on off, this is jammed out to covers.
  • 44.2
    1wd
    K Richardson to de Silva, WIDE! This is bowled outside the tramline on the off side.
  • 44.1
    0
    K Richardson to de Silva, Slower one and it is a low full toss. Dhananjaya looks to hit it through the off side but ends up dragging it to mid on.
  • END OF OVER 44 | 2 Runs & 0 Wkt | SL 240/9
  • Kane Richardson is back into the attack. Can he finish things off in this over?
  • 43.6
    0
    Pat Cummins to N Pradeep, Over the stumps! The length is slightly shorter. Pradeep swings but misses.
  • 43.5
    0
    Pat Cummins to N Pradeep, Nuwan makes room and Cummins bowls it wider outside off. He slashes but misses.