Mitch Marsh has joined Australia's injury ward, but the depleted bowling attack has received a boost ahead of the five one-dayers
Reinforcements arrive for Aussies after 'reality check'
Reinforcements for a depleted bowling attack, which received what Australia conceded was a "reality check" on Saturday evening, have arrived for the ODIs following a third injury in the space of a week.
After missing the third T20I defeat with a calf strain, Mitch Marsh will also miss at least the first two ODIs of a series consisting of five matches in 11 days, beginning in Kandy on Tuesday.
Marsh joins Mitchell Starc, whose sliced finger will also see him return during the back end of the ODIs at the earliest, and Sean Abbott, who has gone home with a broken finger, as casualties during the opening stages of the all-format tour.
Boosting the pace bowling stocks for the 50-over games are Test captain Pat Cummins and allrounder Cameron Green, while Marnus Labuschagne is the other addition from outside the T20 squad.
The trio will train in Kandy on Monday morning, but Travis Head has remained with the Australia A squad ahead of their four-day games in Hambantota.
Jhye and Kane Richardson, who were both expensive in Sri Lanka’s remarkable victory at the Pallekele Stadium, have also been kept on after neither were initially selected for the one-dayers.
Australia’s overall bowling depth is being tested given lead bowler Adam Zampa is absent due to the birth of his first child.
It could open the door for Mitchell Swepson, who made his ODI debut in Pakistan earlier this year, to play alongside fellow spinner Ashton Agar.
"We’re missing a couple of Mitches there but I think Pat will come back in," Josh Hazlewood, speaking about the T20Is, told cricket.com.au. "We’ll have a look at the wicket, maybe (bring in) another spinner, who knows."
Australia were measured in their reaction to Dasun Shanaka’s almost singlehanded effort to score the 59 runs Sri Lanka required from the final three overs of the third T20I.
The pace trio of Hazlewood, Jhye and Kane Richardson all came in for punishment during the extraordinary onslaught that revived a run chase that had appeared completely out of reach.
"From Shanaka it was some great hitting," said Hazlewood after the 2-1 series win. "We nailed a few balls and they went to the boundary, and we bowled a few change-ups and they weren’t quite right either.
"Everything just seemed to hit the middle of the bat there at the end.
"Everyone’s calm out there. You play the over back in your head and you’d change a few things … there are no major concerns, maybe just a bit of a reality check."
Image Id: E3ED5B8421544E8888191D9A1CFC4D7C Image Caption: Sri Lanka pulled off a famous comeback victory // AFPMarcus Stoinis admitted the Aussies may have thought the game was won.
"Maybe we got a little bit ahead of the game and ahead of ourselves there for a second," said Stoinis. "But (17) overs went really well and that’s what happens in T20 cricket.
"Someone plays one of the best innings they’ll play for their career, and hats off."
On the vociferous Pallekele crowd that had chanted ‘Aussies, Aussies’ as they posed for photos with the series silverware, Stoinis added: "It was a brilliant atmosphere.
"I hate losing and I think I speak for everyone in the (dressing) room when I say that we hate losing.
"But that was a brilliant innings, it was great for the crowd, the crowd was nuts and it is good for Sri Lankan cricket as well."
Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, 2022
Sri Lanka T20 squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan. Standby: Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella
Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade
June 7: Australia won by 10 wickets
June 8: Australia won by three wickets
June 11: Sri Lanka won by four wickets
Sri Lanka ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Niroshan Dickwella, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan
Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
June 14: First ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST
June 16: Second ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST
June 19: Third ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST
June 21: Fourth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST
June 24: Fifth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST
Sri Lanka Test squad (provisional): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohamed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshitha Rasanjana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suminda Lakshan
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
June 29 - July 3: First Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST
July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST
All Sri Lanka v Australia international fixtures will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports
Australia A fixtures
Australia A squad: Scott Boland, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee
Sri Lanka A one-day squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Udara, Lasith Croospulle, Oshada Fernando, Pabasara Waduge, Kamindu Mendis, Ashen Bandara, Janitha Liyanage, Sahan Arachchi, Pulina Tharanga, Dunith Wellalage, Dananjaya Lakshan, Shiran Fernando (will not play due to injury), Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Nishan Madushka, Ashen Daniel,Nisala Tharaka
June 8: Australia A won by seven wickets
June 10: Sri Lanka A won by four wickets
June 14-17: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota
June 21-24: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota