McKay Bowls Australia To CB Series Victory Over Sri Lanka

McKay Bowls Australia To CB Series Victory Over Sri Lanka

Clint McKay (left) celebrates the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene. His efforts helped bowl Australia to a 16-run victory in Adelaide

©REUTERS / Action Images

Australia 231 (Wade 49, Herath 3-36) beat
Sri Lanka 215 (Tharanga 71) by 16 runs
Commonwealth Bank Series final, Adelaide
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Australia came out on top of a low-scoring third and decisive Commonwealth Bank Series final against Sri Lanka, taking the series 2-1 courtesy of a 16-run win.

Batting first, Australia posted 231 as Sri Lanka produced a fine effort in the field but then slumped to 53 for four and were subsequently bowled out for 215 as Clint McKay returned his second five-wicket haul in One-Day International cricket.

Upul Tharanga's fluent 71 kept Sri Lankan hopes alive but after he was dismissed by Shane Watson, Clint McKay (5-28) bowled Australia to victory.

He had Chamara Kapugedara brilliantly caught by wicket-keeper Matthew Wade for seven and then clean bowled Rangana Herath for nought and Lasith Malinga for six.

Herath had earlier excelled by taking three for 36 as Australia's batsmen were unable to capitalise on a solid start given to them by openers Wade and David Warner.

Wade made 49 in 74 balls and Warner 48 in 45 but Sri Lanka fought back, Herath removing Wade and Farveez Maharoof having Warner also caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara.

Shane Watson (19), Michael Hussey (1), David Hussey (19) and Peter Forrest (3) then fell in quick succession and this mini-collapse handed the initiative back to Sri Lanka.

Daniel Christian, Brett Lee and McKay were unable to accelerate towards the close of the innings but their efforts of 19, 32 and 28 nevertheless gave Australia enough of a platform.

The impressive Herath also removed Forrest and McKay while Maharoof also dismissed David Hussey and Christian to finish with three for 40.

Sri Lanka's victory in the second game was built around a superb performance from the top order, and openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene in particular. Today, however, their top order was ripped out by McKay and Lee (3-59) and as hard as they fought, Sri Lanka were unable to recover.

Dilshan was caught by David Hussey for eight, Sangakkara fell for 19 when he offered a catch to Watson off Lee and McKay bowled Jayawardene for 15 and then trapped Dinesh Chandimal in front for five.

Lahiru Thirimanne (30) and Tharanga then began to slowly rebuild the innings with a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket. It kept Sri Lanka in the game but no more than that and was ended when Thirimanne was sharply caught by Warner off Watson.

Tharanga stroked four fours and magnificently drove Xavier Doherty into the stands for the only maximum of the innings but eventually he ran out of time, and rapidly running out of support, he edged behind trying to force quick runs.

Maharoof was left stranded when Malinga fell having made an unbeaten 18 in 24 balls.

© Cricket World 2012