{"id":149172,"date":"2025-02-16T09:41:31","date_gmt":"2025-02-16T09:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=149172"},"modified":"2025-02-16T09:41:31","modified_gmt":"2025-02-16T09:41:31","slug":"australia-squashed-in-second-odi-grounded-to-dust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/australia-squashed-in-second-odi-grounded-to-dust\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia Squashed in Second ODI \u2026.. Grounded to Dust-by Michael Roberts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australia Squashed in Second ODI \u2026.. Grounded to Dust-by Michael Roberts<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Source:<\/span><\/strong>Thuppahis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0in An Interpretation of the Scorelines and the ESPN Report from\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Tristan Lavayette<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2025\/02\/15\/australia-squashed-in-second-odi-grounded-to-dust\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

A shorthanded Australia will enter the Champions Trophy bereft of confidence and desperate for answers after a hefty 2-0 ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/div>\n
Sri Lanka\u2019s massive 174-run victory in the second ODI in Colombo was set up by\u00a0Kusal Mendis<\/a>\u00a0and captain\u00a0Charith Asalanka<\/a>\u00a0powering them to 281. Kusal made 101 off 115 balls, and had strong partnerships with Asalanka and Nishan Madushka, before Australia were routed for just 107 in the 25th over.<\/span><\/div>\n

\"elanka\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Kusal Mendis celebrates<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
It was Sri Lanka\u2019s largest ODI victory over Australia, who recorded their equal eighth-lowest total in the format. Australia were comprehensively outplayed through the entire match. Their seam-bowling stocks have been decimated, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis missing this series and the Champions Trophy for various reasons.<\/span><\/div>\n
With Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis rested, left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis was given an opportunity and bowled tidily with the new ball. Sean Abbott rebounded from a sloppy performance in the first ODI to finish with 1 or 41 off ten overs. Legspinner Tanveer Sangha played his first ODI in 16 months, but returned figures of 0 for 34 from five overs.<\/span><\/div>\n
But Australia again struggled in the backend, with their death bowling looming as a major concern ahead of the Champions Trophy. Chasing 282 loomed as a tough task for their batters too, but Australia\u2019s batting order was bolstered by the inclusions of Travis Head, Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell with Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey and Marnus Labuschagne making way.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"elanka\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

After his century in the first ODI, Charith Asalanka scored 78* in the second\u2022AFP\/Getty Images<\/span>
\nHowever, Australia capitulated on what had appeared a relatively benign surface in a batting effort even worse than their 165 all out in game one. They succumbed to quick Asitha Fernando early before crumbling against spinners Dunith Wellalage and Wanindu Hasaranga, who claimed seven wickets between them.<\/span>
\nHaving made a second-ball duck in the opener, Matt Short scored just 2 on Friday before misjudging a delivery from Asitha that skidded on and trapped him lbw. Short reviewed forlornly, and it was another disappointment, after having struggled against Pakistan in the white-ball series in November.<\/span>
\nWith Head returning, Jake Fraser-McGurk slid down to No. 3, and it briefly looked like doing the trick after he whacked a couple of boundaries. But when on 9, Fraser-McGurk was undone by a slower ball from Asitha, and fell tamely to continue a run of recent low scores, bar a 95 off 46 balls for Melbourne Renegades in their final BBL game against Brisbane Heat.<\/span>
\nHead had started in trademark belligerent fashion with consecutive boundaries off Asitha, but the dismissals of Short and Fraser-McGurk disrupted his rhythm, and on 18 he holed out to Asitha at deep square leg.<\/span>
\nIt was left to stand-in skipper Steven Smith and Inglis to steady the ship, and they raised Australia\u2019s hopes with a 46-run fourth-wicket partnership. The two noted players of spin ticked the scoreboard over, but Inglis appeared to have been lucky on 18 when he was stumped by Kusal off Hasaranga only to be given not out although replays suggested he did not have his foot behind the line.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"elanka\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n