Mathews and his partner D.Prasad were in agony. Bowler Mitchell Starc's visage reflected relief. And the Australians converged after surviving a scare. What a match!
The host, defending 231, clinched a nerve-jangling encounter of fortune swings by five runs at the WACA in the Commonwealth Bank triangular ODI series here on Friday. Yet, the win exposed chinks in the Australian side; the batting could be vulnerable and the bowling lacked experience at the death.
A heroic innings by Mathews (64, 76b, 4x4, 1x6) and his against-all-odds last wicket partnership of 46 with last man D.Prasad (15 not out) provided the drama as the Aussies seemed to lose plot.
The last over had drama and passion. Mathews was up against left-arm seamer Starc and Sri Lanka needed 18 runs. The all-rounder thwacked the first ball, lacking in length, past the mid-wicket ropes. And the second delivery, a fuller delivery, was clobbered over the long-off fence for a six.
Then,Angelo Mathews flicked for a single to deep square-leg. Prasad played one to deep point off the fourth ball and the batsmen scampered a cheeky single. Six more were needed from two and the big and strongAngelo Mathews took strike. Starc sent down a short-pitched delivery but the Sri Lankan, for once, could not quite connect properly. This was the match's final twist.
Before that mishit,Angelo Mathews had batted with remarkable composure, collecting the ones and the twos with deft placements, delivering the odd big blow, inspiring his partners and believing in himself.
Australia now has nine points from two games, India, four from two and Sri Lanka none from two. Australian skipper Michael Clarke who made a valuable 57 – he anchored the innings – and then marshalled his resources under pressure was named Man of the Match.
The surface for this game was different from the other games at the WACA. This was a slower track and medium-paced cut and spin were more effective weapons here. Left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty impressed with his turn and control. Wicket-keeper Mathew Wade failed with the willow but was involved in five dismissals including a superb, diving catch to dismiss Nuwan Kulasekara.
The run-out of Kumar Sangakkara proved the turning point. A confident K.Sangakkara (22) set off for a run after failing in his bid to flick but was turned back by Tillakaratne Dilshan. Bowler Clint McKay, however, raced in to pick up the loose ball from close to the pitch and scored a direct hit.
Putting the opposition under stress, the Aussies continued to pick big wickets. Paceman Ryan Harris got one to cut back into Tilakaratna Dilshan (40) from short-of-a-good-length and Wade pouched the edge. The opener had batted with a mix of luck and flair.
Support seamer Daniel Christian secured the prize scalp of Mahela Jayawardene when the Sri Lankan captain tried to steer a short-pitched delivery cutting into him. The talented Chandimal (37) was a tad unlucky to be adjudged leg-before to Clarke's left-arm spin when he missed a whip.
In the afternoon, the Aussies struggled for momentum after being inserted. Nicking an away seamer from Kulasekara, Wade departed early. The duel between the explosive David Warner and the mercurial Lasith Malinga was engrossing. Warner, with his quick bat-speed, blasted Malinga down the ground. The paceman responded with a scorching Yorker, which the left-hander just managed to dig out.
Even as much focus was on the face-off between these two flamboyant cricketers, Malinga removed Ricky Ponting, who played across to one that nipped back. The Sri Lankans meant business. The disciplined bowling was backed by slick fielding.
It wasAngelo Mathews who ended Warner's innings. The canny seamer bowled wicket-to-wicket and cramped Warner for room. The southpaw (34) played on. Skipper Clarke held firm at one end but a sensational return catch by Kulasekara, diving to his right, ended Michael Hussey's promising innings.
Clarke, at the other end, displayed glimpses of his footwork. When Senanayake gave the ball air, Clarke danced down the track and smacked the ball over the bowler's head. The off-spinner, who had come in for pace bowling all-rounder Thisara Perera, was tidy for most part.
Malinga returned to send David Hussey (27) back – the batsman attempted to flick the paceman but the leading edge was well pouched by a diving Thirimanne at short cover. Daniel Christian waded into the bowling, dismissing Prasad for three fours, all between mid-wicket and square-leg; this also indicated the paceman was bowling the wrong line.
Christian (33) struck Senanayake was a rousing straight six but the off-spinner had the last laugh, deceiving the advancing batsman with flight. Soon, Clarke's fighting vigil (57 off 88) ended when he could not keep a flick offAngelo Mathews down; his opposite number Jayawardene held a sharp catch at mid-wicket. A few useful blows from McKay and Starc kept Australia in the hunt.
Scoreboard: Australia: D. Warner bAngelo Mathews 34 (29b, 4x4, 1x6), M. Wade c K.Sangakkara b Kulasekara 1 (5b), R. Ponting lbw b Malinga 1 (4b), M. Clarke c Jayawardene bAngelo Mathews 57 (88b, 4x4); M. Hussey c & b Kulasekara 23 (32b, 3x4), David Hussey c Thirimanne b Malinga 27 (38b, 2x4, 1x6), D. Christian st. K.Sangakkara b Senanayake 33 (44b, 4x4, 1x6), R. Harris c Kulasekara b Senanayake 3 (9b), C. McKay c Thirimanne b Prasad 25 (25b, 3x4), M. Starc c Tharanga b Prasad 14 (19b, 1x4), X. Doherty (not out) 2 (2b), Extras (lb-6, w-5) 11; Total (all out in 49.1 overs) 231.
Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Wade), 2-26 (Ponting), 3-50 (Warner), 4-81 (M. Hussey), 5-130 (David Hussey), 6-186 (Christian), 7-190 (Clarke), 8-192 (Harris), 9-224 (Starc).
Sri Lanka bowling: Malinga 10-0-48-2, Kulasekara 10-0-39-2,Angelo Mathews 9-0-37-2, D. Prasad 9.1-0-55-2, Senanayake 10-0-45-2, Tilakaratna Dilshan 1-0-1-0.
Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga c Clarke b Starc 5 (13b, 1x4), T. Tilakaratna Dilshan c Wade b Harris 40 (57b, 4x4), K. K.Sangakkara (run out) 22 (32b, 3x4), D. Chandimal lbw b Clarke 37 (50b, 4x4), M. Jayawardene c Wade b Christian 13 (13b, 1x4), L. Thirimanne b Doherty 3 (6b), A.Angelo Mathews c Christian b Starc 64 (76b, 4x4, 1x6), N. Kulasekara c Wade b Christian 8 (11b), Senanayake st. Wade b Doherty 9 (24b), L. Malinga c Wade b McKay 1 (6b), D. Prasad (not out) 15 (11b, 1x4), Extras (lb-3, w-6) 9; Total (all out in 49.5 overs) 226.
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Tharanga), 2-61 (K.Sangakkara), 3-88 (Tilakaratna Dilshan), 4-110 (Jayawardene), 5-119 (Thirimanne), 6-129 (Chandimal), 7-143 (Kulasekara), 8-175 (Senanayake), 9-180 (Malinga).
Australia bowling: Harris 10-0-43-1, Starc 9.5-0-50-2, McKay 10-0-50-1, Christian 8-1-47-2, Doherty 10-0-24-2, Clarke 2-0-9-1.
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