Australia Winners of CB Tri-Series ODI Cricket!

Australia emerged winners of the Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series ODI cricket defeating Sri Lanka by 16 runs in another low-scoring thriller today at the Adelaide Oval. Australia won the best-of-three finals 2-1.

Sri Lanka missed a tremendous opportunity today. They bowled out the mighty Australians for just 231 and the total could have been less than 200 if Sri Lanka capitalized on the chances given on the field. Their fielding was not at all the quality they are used to normally and they also missed a few crucial catches. Strike bowler Lasith Malinga was more of a liability today giving away too many runs without taking a single wicket. Maybe he has been still reeling under the hammering given by India in their last league match which Sri Lanka lost after amassing 321 runs. Even then, the target of 232 was a modest one, but the pressure of a big final was always there. It has been observed in the last few matches of the CB Series that teams found huge totals harder to defend and low ones easier to defend!

Except for a roaring opening partnership Australian batsmen did miserably losing 5 wickets from the score of 115 to 151. At 151/6 a total of even 200 seemed remote. But pacers Brett Lee (32) and Clint McKay (28) added precious runs helping the team take the score to a somewhat respectable 231. There was not a single half-century in the entire innings, the highest score being 49 by Wade. 

Disciplined bowling and tight fielding made the Sri Lankans falter after a rousing start. They were reduced to a precarious 53/4 in the tenth over and then 142/6 in the 36^th thanks to some great bowling by Brett Lee and McKay. Kulasekara, the hero of the first final, raised some hope of a comeback with Lee bowling two expensive overs in his second spell. But Lee managed to take the prized catch of Kulasekara amidst the run-deluge and McKay did the rest capturing 5 wicket for just 36 runs. Stand-in skipper Shane Watson though failing with the bat did some good captaincy with a tight first spell of 5 overs for only 8 runs and 1 wicket. It was perplexing why he came almost too late for his second spell, but when he came in again he took a wicket immediately slowing down the flow of runs too. For Sri Lanka only Tharanga could go past the half-century mark scoring a patient 71, but he could not carry on till the end. Man of the Series for his three brilliant centuries, Dilshan fell today cheaply to Lee though he chipped in well again with bowling. Clint McKay won the Player of the Match award for his all-round performance.

Finally, the better team of the day won. In a big final you cannot afford to have your top-order misfire and your middle-order suffocated for runs.

CB Tri-Series: Sri Lanka Takes It To The Final of Finals!

Sri Lankan top order fired yesterday and fired brilliantly to thump Australia by 8 wickets with 34 balls to spare at the second final of the Commonwealth Band Tri-Series one-day international played in the Adelaide Oval. Thus the never-say-die tigers take the fight into the last of the best of three finals to be played in the same venue tomorrow.

Skipper Jayewardene led from the front not allowing Australia to run away to a 300 plus total as in the first final by shrewd fielding placements and bowling options. This was despite two centuries scored by Australia who batted first after winning the toss. He opened his bowling attack with a surprise option of Dilshan—a move that paid great dividends as Dilshan captured one wicket yielding only 40 runs in his 10 overs. Then Jaywardene starred in a match-winning opening partnership of 179 runs with Dilshan who went on to score his second century of the series and earned the Player of the Match award. Sangakkara and Chandimal chipped in nicely seeing the team through.

Sri Lanka overcame a challenging target of 272 runs set by Australia in fifty overs losing six wickets. This became their second highest successful chase ever against Australia. Now the last final is set up for an exciting finish.

CB Series Cricket Finals: Australia Win A Humdinger!

Sri Lankan lower order turned the match on its head and nearly won it for their country. They were chasing a mammoth target of 322 runs set by Australia in the first of the best-of-three Commonwealth Bank Series finals played in Brisbane today.

Sri Lanka started on a brisk note scoring the first fifty 

in the seventh over as if trying to emulate Team India’s momentous chase against them on February 28, but down to the seventh batsmen nobody seemed to be as inspired as Virat Kohli on that day. In a huge chase like this somebody had to score a scorching century, but there was not even a fifty from either the top or the middle order. Mr. consistent Chandimal failed too. At 144 for 6 in the 31^st over the match looked as good as over.

But Sri Lankan pacer Kulasekara had very different ideas. He set the stadium of fire scoring 73 runs in just 43 balls laced with seven fours and three huge sixes. He found an able partner in Tharanga and between them added 104 runs in 11 overs. When Kulasekara was the seventh out at the team’s score of 248 in the 42^nd over the match still could go either way. Tharanga who made 60 and Prasad who remained not out at 31 took the score to 280 for 7 in 45 overs when rains came down and the complex Duckworth-Lewis method came into consideration. As the drizzle became heavier Sri Lanka needed 290 runs by the end of 46 overs. Maybe to achieve that Tharanga got out at that stage try hitting the ball out of the stadium. Ironically, the drizzle did not interrupt play till the end.

Finally, Sri Lanka lost by 15 runs and Australia went 1-0 up in the finals. DA Warner who had been the mainstay of the Australian innings with a brilliant knock of 163 off 157 balls won the Player of the Match award. The finalists meet again on March 6and if Sri Lanka lose again the third final on March 8 will not be played.

Kudos to the Sri Lankan tail-enders! But if Sri Lanka aim to win the CB Series cricket cup their top order must fire immediately.