Quantcast

All You Need To Know: Australia v SL, ODI series

Team news, times and broadcast details for Australia's ODI series against Sri Lanka

The dust has barely settled on Sri Lanka’s stunning Test series triumph over Australia, but here we are ready to launch into a five-match one-day international series starting in Colombo today.

The visitors are desperate to enjoy the sweet taste of success after the poor performances over the past month, while the confident hosts are aiming to maintain their winning edge over the current World Champions.

Here’s a whole heap of info to get your ready for the 50-over action.

FIXTURES

The series opens up in Colombo with a sell-out crowd expected at the R. Premadasa Stadium boasting a crowd capacity of 35,000. Following the Colombo leg, the action heads north-east to Dambulla for a further two matches before coming to a close at Pallekele Stadium – the venue where it all started to go wrong for Australia in the Test series.

  • First ODI: R. Premadasa Stadium, 21 August at 7pm AEST
  • Second ODI: R. Premadasa Stadium, 24 August at 7pm AEST
  • Third ODI: Rangiri Dambulla Stadium, 28 August at 7pm AEST
  • Fourth ODI: Rangiri Dambulla Stadium, 31 August at 7pm AEST
  • Fifth ODI: Pallekele Stadium, 4 September at 7pm AEST

TEAMS

Both teams have yet to reveal how they will settle on their XIs for the series opener, but some clues have been dropped in the lead-up.

Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews confirmed Kusal Perera would partner veteran opener Tillakaratne Dilshan at the top of the order, while the hosts may be set to unleash yet another unknown spinner.

Left-arm orthodox bowler Amila Aponso has flown in from South Africa, where he claimed a lazy 13 wickets in a four-day match for a Sri Lankan development side. Selectors were keeping a close eye on the 23-year-old as he rolled the arm over out in the middle of Premadasa Stadium yesterday afternoon.


Speaking to the media on series eve, Australia allrounder James Faulkner confirmed he would feature in the opening clash, but little else was known about which way the selectors will go.

There’s set to be an unlucky batsman or two at the top of the order, while deciding whether or not Nathan Lyon joins Adam Zampa - on what is expected to be a slow surface - will also occupy the minds of coach Darren Lehmann and selector-on-duty Rod Marsh.

Sri Lanka squad: Angelo Mathews (c), Dinesh Chandimal (vc), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dhananjaya de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Seekuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Amila Aponso.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tillakaratne Dilshan – one of the finest batsman ever to feature in one-day cricket, Dilshan returns to the Sri Lanka squad after making himself unavailable for the recent England tour due to personal reasons. It’s unclear how much more cricket the 39-year-old has left in him, so enjoy every opportunity you get to see him blast away at the top of the order.

Mitchell Starc – when pace ace Starc has the shiny white pill in his hands, stop what you’re doing and get to a TV. Few bowlers in the history of ODI cricket have looked as dangerous as the 26-year-old speedster and he’ll be looking to carry his newfound red-ball dominance back into the shorter format.

Watch all of Starc's 24 wickets v Sri Lanka

FORM

Australia (most recent game last): LLWLWLWLWW - Australia’s recent ODI form doesn’t exactly reflect their lengthy lead on top of the ICC rankings, but the team managed to get the formula right just in time to claim the silverware in June’s tri-series against South Africa and West Indies in the Caribbean.

Sri Lanka (most recent game last): LLWLWWTLLL - Mathews and his men will hoping the home advantage can help restore some success in the 50-over format after a winless series in England. But as the Australians were reminded in the Test series, form means little once that coin is tossed in the air later today.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Australia 9-376 (Glenn Maxwell 102, Steve Smith 72, Michael Clarke 68, Shane Watson 67) defeated Sri Lanka 312 (Kumar Sangakkara 104, Tillakaratne Dilshan 62, Dinesh Chandimal 52, James Faulkner 3-48) by 64 runs.

You need to go back nearly 18 months for the last time these two teams went head-to-head in the one-day format, when a Maxwell-inspired Australia continued their march to World Cup glory at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Victorian allrounder – axed for this tour of Sri Lanka – bludgeoned the fastest ODI century by an Australian to help set an imposing total in the group match.

Dilshan ignited the chase by unleashing six consecutive boundaries from a single Mitchell Johnson over, while Kumar Sangakkara casually set about compiling his third ton on the trot in the pool stage.

The home side ultimately proved too strong and the rest was history.

Remarkably, 12 of the 22 players to feature in that encounter will not be doing their thing this time around.

THE RECORDS

The highest individual score in ODIs between the two nations belongs to Warner with his knock of 163 at the Gabba in 2012, while Mitchell Johnson claimed the best bowling figures of 6-31 at Pallekele during Australia’s last visit to the island nation in 2011.

THE RANKINGS

Australia – holding 123 ratings points - are so far in front of every other nation that not even another series sweep would see them fall from top spot on the ICC rankings.

Sixth-placed Sri Lanka (102) will be aiming to make some gains and it’s England (106) sitting firmly in their sights.

WHAT THEY SAID

"You just have to keep getting the business done and if you don't, there's always someone breathing down your neck for your spot." – Australia opener Aaron Finch.

"The Aussies are a very competitive team, inside and outside Australia. We have to play our best cricket to beat them. I think we did that in the Test series, now it’s a fresh start." - Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews.

FOLLOW THE SERIES LIVE

Just like the Test series, Fox Sports have snagged the broadcast rights for the five-match ODI campaign. Fans in Australia without a Fox subscription can listen to every ball live and free in cricket.com.au’s Match Centre or via the CA Live app.

There will also be highlights aplenty throughout the series at cricket.com.au/video, while you can follow along with the all the latest on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.