CA XI pipped by Sri Lanka in Super Over finish

Chamari Atapattu has steered Sri Lanka to a Super Over victory over the Cricket Australia XI in a tour T20 match at Hurstville Oval.

In the touring side’s first competitive hit out on Australian turf ahead of the upcoming T20I and ODI series’ against Australia, the youthful CA XI side certainly put up plenty of resistance.

In pursuit of the 8-133 set by Sri Lanka, Annabel Sutherland led the CA XI chase to equal the visitors’ total and take the match to a Super Over.

Drawing on her experience, T20 captain Atapattu took the ball to restrict Australia to 1-8 from their Super Over before returning with the bat and striking eight of the required nine runs for victory.

Image Id: A6E1A735F9034A6F873696AB6CF3A694 Image Caption: Annabel Sutherland sneaks a run for the Cricket Australia XI against Sri Lanka // AAP/David Gray

 

Australia squad member Heather Graham almost found herself the hero for the CA XI, scoring six runs from Australia’s Super Over before she was tossed the ball in a final attempt to restrict the Sri Lankan batters.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, Atapattu opened up and put 28 runs on the board before retiring in the interest of maximising time in the middle for her teammates. 

Graham struck twice in the sixth over for the CA XI, dismissing opener Yashoda Mendis for 24 followed by Anushka Sanjeewani for a duck.

Graham, who will be hoping to make her debut in green and gold in the upcoming T20I series, finished her four overs with 3-17.

Batters Harshitha Madavi and Sashikala Siriwardena made valuable contributions to Sri Lanka’s total before following the skipper’s lead and they too made way for new batters to come to the crease.

Chasing 134, CA XI openers Tahlia McGrath and Josie Dooley made a strong start with a 59-run opening stand.

Sashikala Siriwardena picked up the wickets of both openers in quick succession, with Dooley falling for 22 before Tahlia McGrath holed out on 38 from 30 balls.

The hopes of the CA XI chase appeared to settle on Sutherland, batting at No.3 and called to the crease in the eighth over, as the wickets of Graham (9) and Wilson (0) fell in quick succession.

Image Id: CF3EC0220BD249ECBD19DDCFB6FA99EE Image Caption: Sri Lanka T20 captain Chamari Atapattu in action against the Cricket Australia XI

 

Phoebe Litchfield was dismissed for 12 in the final over, leaving the CA XI four runs to score from the final three balls.

With Sutherland facing the last ball and needing three runs for victory, she was able to sneak two to equal Sri Lanka’s total and take the match to a Super Over.

The T20I series between Australia and Sri Lanka gets underway at North Sydney Oval on Sunday afternoon at 2:40pm. Tickets are priced at $15 for adults, while kids are granted free entry to the ground. The series will be broadcast live on Channel 7, Fox Sports and streamed on Kayo.

CommBank Series v Sri Lanka

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns (T20I only), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Sri Lanka T20I squad: Chamari Atapattu (c), Harshitha Madavi, Shashikala Siriwardena, Anushka Sanjeewani, Hansima Karunaratne, Yashoda Mendis, Nilakshi De Silva, Dilani Manodara, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandhika Kumari, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasooriya, Udeshika Probodhani, Ama Kanchana.

First T20I: September 29, North Sydney Oval, 2.40pm

Second T20I: September 30, North Sydney Oval, 7.10pm

Third T20I: October 2, North Sydney Oval, 10.10am

First ODI: October 5, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

Second ODI:October 7, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

Third ODI: October 9, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

*All ODIs are ICC Women's Championship matches