Australia beat Lanka by 32 runs to share series

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 215 in 48.3 overs as Australia won the 5th one-day international at Hobart by 32 runs to share the series 2-2.

Chasing 248 for victory on a low, slow Bellerive wicket, the visitors were undone by a wonderful spell from Xavier Doherty who, in the space of five tantalising overs, claimed 3-7 to put Australia on the road to an eventual 32-run victory.

Doherty came into this match not having taken a wicket in the series but he ripped the heart out of the Sri Lankan innings by removing three of the dangermen, Mahela Jayawardene (38 off 39), Lahiru Thirimanne (1 off 10) and Dinesh Chandimal (6 off 19).

And with Moises Henriques chipping in with the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan, caught behind shortly after bringing up his 7,000th ODI run for a most un-Dilshan-like 19 off 48, Sri Lanka quickly slipped from a commanding 0-57 to a perilous 4-77.

A blazing run-a-ball sixth-wicket stand of 79 between Jeevan Mendis (26) and Sri Lanka’s captain-in-waiting Angelo Mathews (67) momentarily raised the pulses of the fielding side but then Henriques stepped up to make his first meaningful contribution to the Australian side in his fifth ODI.

He clean bowled a charging Mendis and then followed up by re-arranging Thisara Perera’s stumps to finish with his career-best figures of 3-32 and when Mitchell Johnson chipped in to remove Mathews, the game Sri Lankans finally ran out of fight.

Sri Lanka faltered after a fine start given by skipper Mahela Jayawardene who made 38 off 39 balls in his final match as captain.

Doherty pegged back chipping at the top order to finish with the best return of 3 for 21.

Angelo Mathews kept Sri Lanka in the hunt with 67 off 79 balls with the help of seven boundaries.

Moises Henriques ripped through the middle order to claim 3 for 32 before Clint McKay cleaned up the tail as Sri Lanka surrendered tamely.

Earlier, left-hander Phil Hughes hit his second one-day century steer Australia to a challenging total.

The diminutive opener cracked 138 off 154 balls out of Australia's total of 247 for five wickets.

Playing his last game as captain, Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene sprung some surprises in fine weather at the Bellerive Oval.

He won the toss but put Australia in to bat on what looked an easy flat wicket and threw off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan the new ball.

It was unorthodox but he was quickly rewarded with three maidens and an early wicket.

Dilshan found some unexpected grip and stunned David Warner who pushed an outside edge onto off-stump with the score on 31. Warner made 10 off 18 balls.

There was little or no swing for Nuwan Kulasekara but Matthew Wade, on 23, missed a straight ball and was given out lbw.

Australia, missing skipper Michael Clarke, who failed a late fitness test on a twisted ankle, looked in trouble again with two wickets down for 37.

Hughes had a let-off with a mis-hit that rolled onto his stumps but failed to remove the bails.

It seemed to spark him into life and a steady 50 came up off 82.

Thisara Perera broke the Hughes-Bailey partnership of 60 off 100 balls when he caught and bowled the latter for 17 off 43 balls.

Hughes was paid handsomely for his gritty patience and started to find the boundaries in the final overs.

David Hussey tried to stay with him but Perera ran him out off his own bowling going for an invisible run.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell threw the bat and was duly caught at extra cover off Lasith Malinga for 9.

But Hughes was cashing in, adding a towering six to his 13 fours.

"I'm proud," Hughes said as he left the field. "It's nice to get a chance in one-day cricket.

"When I got to 50-60 I was finding it tough to score, but I got a few at the back end."

SRI LANKA INNINGS

Sri Lanka lose their ninth wicket when Herath was caught by Henriques off the bowling of McKay in the 47th over.

Australia are turning the screws on Sri Lanka who are struggling at the halfway stage of the innings being four down for 85 chasing a target of 248.

Xavier Doherty's treble strike has reduced Sri Lanka to 77 for 4 after 21 overs with Dinesh Chandimal being bowled by a delivery which straightened.

Sri Lanka are faltering in their run-chase as Tillakaratne Dilshan is caught behind by Mathew Wade off Moises Henriques for a circumspect 19 which consumed 48 balls.

Sri Lanka lose their second wicket in the 15th over as Lahiru Thirimanne departs attempting to hit Xaiver Doherty out of the ground but only succeeding in miscuing it to David Hussey at long on.

Xavier Doherty finally gets a breakthrough for Australia as Mahela Jayawardena lobs a catch Starc at mid on after miscuing a drive.

Jayawardene departed after a fluent knock of 38 off 39 balls with six boundaries.

Sri Lanka are off to a solid start being 50 without loss in the first 10 overs with Mahela Jayawardene on song having made 35 off 32 balls with six hits to the ropes.

Mahela Jayawardene has laid into Clint McKay smashing three boundaries including two in succession as Sri Lanka begin their run chase in earnest.

Mahela Jayawardene has hit the first boundary of the Sri Lanka innings in the second over bowled by Mitchell Starc driving him over short mid on.

Phillip Hughes slammed a solid unbeaten 138 to lift Australia to 247 for 5 in 50 overs after being put into bat by Sri Lanka in the 5th one-day international at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

Hughes, the first Australian to make a century on his ODI debut with 112 in Melbourne, held the innings together after having coming in at the fall of David warner in the sixth over.

Hughes hit 13 boundaries and six during his knock with his second century of the series coming off just 154 balls.

Australia's recent batting woes looked set to continue when they crawled to 62-2 from 20 overs, but Hughes overcame a slow start to rediscover the fluency he showed earlier in the series

David Hussey (34) was associated in the most productive partnership of 98 with Hughes for the fourth wicket which turned their innings around.

Tillakaratne Dilshan who opened the attack bowled an impressive spell claiming one for 22 in seven overs while Rangana Herath bowled an economical spell of 10-2-34-0.    

AUSTRALIA INNINGS

Phillip Hughes has smashed two consecutive boundaries on either side of the fence off Angelo Mathews in the 48th over.

Australia made 247-5 in 50 overs after Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first in the 5th one-day international at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Wednesday.

Glenn Maxwell is undone by a slower one from Lasith Malinga which he scoops to Lahiru Thirimanne at extra cover as Australia lose their fifth wicket.

Phillip Hughes is on fire having struck the first six of the match off Nuwan Kulasekera in the 46th over.

David Hussey is run out for 34 off 39 balls to bring an end to a brilliant 98-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Hussey fails to beat a direct hit from bowler Thisara Perera after wandering out in search of a quick single.

Phillip Hughes and David Hussey are putting Sri Lanka to the sword with a solid fourth wicket partnership scoring 33 runs in the batting Powerplay overs.

Phillip Hughes has smashed two consecutive deliveries from Lasith Malinga to the boundary in the 39th over.

Malinga went for 13 in an erratic over in which he attempted to fire in yorkers which was negotiated by David Hussey.

Phillip Hughes cracks Lasith Malinga past backward point to bring up the 50 partnership off 58 balls for the fourth wicket with David Hussey.

David Hussey has thumped Thisara Perera down the ground for his first boundary in the 35th to gear up for the assault in the batting Powerplay overs with Phillip Hughes.

Phillip Hughes is getting on top of the Sri Lankan attack getting another boundary of left arm spinner Rangana Herath in the 34th through extra cover.

Phillip Hughes has given the charge to Rangana Herath to drive him through the covers for his fifth boundary in the 30th over to complete his half century off 82 balls.

Phillip Hughes has played down a maiden from Rangana Herath, his second of the innings.

Thisara Perera has broken the third wicket partnership with George Bailey lobbing a return catch in the 27th over.

Bailey faced 43 balls for his 17 with one boundary adding 60 runs for the third wicket with Phillip Hughes.

Australia have recovered to make 94 for two at halfway stage after the loss of openers Mathew Wade and David Warner in quick succession with Phillip Hughes closing in on a half century slamming Thisara Perera for his fourth boundary.

Phillip Hughes gets a boundary on the fine leg in an erratic over from Thisara Perera in the 23rd to bring up the 50 partnership for the third wicket with George Bailey.

Angelo Mathews has gone for 10 in the 21st over with Phillip Hughes driving him to the midoff fence to break the shackles.

Australia are choking with Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath sending down consecutive maiden overs.

George Bailey has played downed a maiden over from Lasith Malinga in the 19th.

Phillip Hughes gets into his stride with a fluent cover drive of Lasith Malinga for his first boundary in the 18th.

Runs seems to have dried up for Australia after the loss of openers David Warner and Mathew Wade though George Bailey brings up the 50 of the Australian innings in the 16th with a flick to midwicket off Angelo Mathews.

Nuwan Kulasekera has sent down a maiden to acting skipper George Bailey in the 11th as Sri Lanka tighten the screws following the double strike.

Nuwan Kulasekera strikes to trap Mathew Wade leg before in the 10th over with Australia being unsuccessful with the decision review.

Wade lunging forward is beaten by the outswinger after making 23 off 28 balls with four hits to the fence.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has bowled a maiden to new batsman Phillip Hughes in the ninth over.

David Warner launches into Tillakaratne Dilshan over extra cover for his first boundary but the bowler had the last laugh when he castles his stumps with a delivery which straightened as Australia lose their first wicket in the 7th over.
 
Warner departs for 10 with one boundary after facing 18 balls.

Left-hander Mathew Wade is on a roll lofting Nuwan Kulasekera over his for his fourth boundary.

Mathew Wade has hit a couple of boundaries off Tillakaratne Dilshan's third over as Australia step on the gas.

Mathew Wade opening with David Warner has hit the first boundary of the Australian innings has swatted Nuwan Kulasekera to midwicket.

Sri Lanka open the attack with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Nuwan Kulasekera as Australia bat first for the fifth consecutive time in the series.

Sri Lanka have won the toss and put Australia into bat in the final one-day international at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Wednesday.

Glenn Maxwell has come in for injured skipper Michael Clarke for Australia which will be led by George Bailey.

Sri Lanka have retained the winning combination with Mahela Jayawardene leading out the team for the final time.

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