Behrendorff makes Cup debut against Sri Lanka

Australia have handed a World Cup debut to Jason Behrendorff while Kane Richardson has retained his spot for tonight's vital World Cup clash with Sri Lanka at The Oval.

Australia captain Aaron Finch lost the coin toss, again – having been grilled on his inability to get a call to go his way at his pre-match press conference by Brad Haddin's son Zachery – and the defending World Cup champions have been asked to bat first.

It was a swap of Western Australian quicks with Behrendorff replacing Nathan Coulter-Nile, who had played the first four games of this campaign. Finch said Coulter-Nile was "a bit stiff and sore".

Image Id: 3CABFFC0402D4EED807153DB6FFD83E5 Image Caption: Jason Behrendorff warms-up at The Oval // Cricket Network

It's the second successive match Australia have gone in with four front-line quicks after Marcus Stoinis picked up a side strain against India, upsetting the balance of the Australian XI, with leg-spinner Adam Zampa again squeezed out while Nathan Lyon still waits for an opportunity to make his World Cup debut.

Richardson, who came in for the match against Pakistan, holds his spot after taking 2-62 while Coulter-Nile, who hit a vital 92 against the West Indies, has a tournament return of 2-222 from his four matches.

Image Id: 2564EC21EFE840C6A9EFD8944FC55463 Image Caption: Warner and net bowler Jay Plaha // Cricket Network

There was a nice moment during the warm-ups when local London net bowler Jaykishan Plaha was embraced by David Warner and presented with a signed Australian team jersey.

Plaha was the net bowler hospitalised with concussion after he was struck by a booming drive off Warner's bat during a practice session at The Oval before Australia's game with India.

Plaha was struck on June 8 and later cleared of any major damage after a CT scan at a nearby hospital. He was kept in for observation for delayed signs of concussion, and was warmly welcomed back to The Oval by Warner and the Australian squad.

"It was just an unfortunate accident," Warner told the host broadcaster. "We're extremely grateful for the guys coming in and bowling to us – workloads stop us facing our own bowlers sometimes.

"To come in and roll the arm over and unfortunately get hit was sad, it was a real shock to us.

Image Id: https://www.cricket.com.au/~/media/News/2019/06/08warner2?la=en&hash=2DD1C09062EDD5D2586E90C948492836E461012D Image Caption: David Warner is comforted by teammates after Plaha was struck // Cricket Network

"Now he's recovering, back on his feet and said he'll be bowling again in about six weeks. We're going to get him around the group and I think he's coming to the Lord's game (against England on June 25) as well."

Warner, who struck a century in Australia's last outing, a 41-run win against Pakistan, noted there was plenty of green in the pitch prepared for today's match, but still said he would prefer to bat first.

"I'm a batter. I always want to get out there, I don't like waiting," Warner said, adding it had been "quite challenging" to get going in the World Cup.

"A couple of the wickets early on had been used, I was a bit scratchy against Afghanistan, and then the other game was a bit more fluent, which was good.

"I had to be aggressive and my defence took care of itself. I'll just play and assess each game as it comes.

"We've had a few good games against SL in the past and we know they've got a good bowling line up. For us it's about going out there as batters and starting fresh again. It's a new game."

The green pitch had caused some consternation in the Sri Lanka camp, with the team lodging a formal complaint to the ICC over the standard of wickets they've encountered.

The Oval has played host to some of the biggest scores of the World Cup to date, with five out of eight innings so far surpassing 300 runs, but Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne said the team had asked for "a fair wicket, for 50-50 wickets".

Sri Lankan team manager Ashantha de Mel, who made the complaint, said: "What we have found out is that for the four matches we have played so far at Cardiff and Bristol, the ICC has prepared a green pitch," he told Daily News.

"At the same venues, the other countries have played on pitches are brown and favourable for high scoring.

Image Id: 68C2BB6A186E44D5AC3C33AE8F745C28 Image Caption: Jason Behrendorff warms up at The Oval // Cricket Network

"The pitch being prepared for our match against Australia on Saturday here at The Oval is green. It is not sour grapes that we are complaining."

Sri Lanka have not played a match for 12 days after they had games against Pakistan and Bangladesh abandoned without a ball bowled due to incessant rain that has dogged the tournament.

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jason Behrendorff, Kane Richardson.

Sri Lanka XI: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera (wk),Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Nuwan Pradeep, Lasith Malinga.

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

June 9: Australia lost to India by 36 runs

June 12: Australia beat Pakistan by 41 runs

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

Sync Australia's World Cup schedule to your calendar HERE

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE