Australia‘s Champions Trophy preparation is off to the worst possible start, suffering a shock defeat against Sri Lanka in Colombo after captain Charith Asalanka’s heroic hundred.
The hosts won the toss and elected to bat but it was a disastrous start.
Openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando were both gone for six runs with Spencer Johnson and Aaron Hardie taking the wickets.
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The awful start wasn’t over for Sri Lanka when they became 5-55 inside 14.3 overs.
Kusal Mendis (19), Kamindu Mendis (5) and Janith Liyanage (11) were the men to fall.
Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka and Marnus Labuschagne. Getty
A 67-run partnership between Dunith Wellalage and Asalanka then followed to add respectability to the total.
Wellalage was eventually dismissed for 30 with Smith plucking an insane one-handed catch off the bowling of Matt Short.
“He is an absolute genius, whether it’s with the bat in hand or at first slip to quicks or spins … this is an absolute beauty,” Simon Katich said on Seven.
Maheesh Theekshana was next to go at 8-135 and it looked like the chase would be easy for Australia.
However, the captain wasn’t done and proceeded to go berserk, hitting an aggressive century to keep his side in the match.
Asalanka was eventually dismissed for 127 off 126 balls, his highest score in an ODI.
Asitha Fernando was the last man to fall, dismissed by Sean Abbott for a duck with Sri Lanka bowled out for 214.
Australia’s chase was dire from the start. Matt Short was trapped in front with the first ball of the game and quickly it became 4-31 with Jake Fraser-McGurk (2), Cooper Connolly (3) and Steve Smith (12) all departing cheaply.
A partnership of 52 between Marnus Labuschagne (15) and Alex Carey (41) looked to have put Australia back in the match but both men were gone in six balls at 6-85.
Aaron Hardie (32), Sean Abbott (20) and Adam Zampa (20no) contributed at the bottom but their efforts couldn’t help save the side with Sri Lanka bowling them out for 165, winning the match by 49 runs.
“Famous game here,” Russel Arnold said on the coverage.
Theekshana was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 4-40.
The win makes it six in a row for Sri Lanka at Colombo.
