PALLEKELE: Fast bowler Chamika Karunaratne drove an enlivened Sri Lankan assault to pull off an exhilarating 26-run prevail upon Australia in the downpour hit second One-day International on Thursday.
Pursuing a downpour modified focus of 216 out of 43 overs, Australia experienced standard wicket tumbles to get bowled out for 189 in 37.1 overs as Sri Lanka quickly returned from their initial misfortune in the five-match series in Pallekele.
Karunaratne returned figures of 3-47 including Steve Smith, for 28, and Glenn Maxwell, for 30, and was capably upheld by individual fast Dushmantha Chameera who got the last batsman to carry the rambunctious home group to its feet.
Spinners Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage and Chameera took two wickets each.
De Silva likewise scored 34 with the bat and put on 61 runs for the third wicket with Kusal Mendis, who made 36, to direct Sri Lanka to 220 for nine when downpour constrained play to pause and late end the innings.
Pat Cummins returned figures of 4-35 yet his work went to no end.
Australia lost their openers Aaron Finch, on 14, and David Warner, on 37, to De Silva as the travelers wavered in their precarious pursue on an apparently extreme pitch to bat.
Smith and Travis Head endeavored to revamp the innings and set up 31 runs before Karunaratne got through.
Karunaratne got Smith for 28 and Wellalage’s two wickets of Head (23) and Marnus Labuchagne (18) in his two overs put the Aussies in a difficult situation at 132-5.
Maxwell hit back to disrupt the bowlers in his short stay at the wicket however at last confused a shot to get found out at cover off Karunaratne. He made 30 off 25 balls.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey was run out for 15 as wheels fell off the Australian pursue.
