Ailing Australia seek respite in ODIs

August 21, 2016
Start time 2.30pm local (0900GMT)

If ODIs and Tests occurred in parallel universes, Australia might be the pre-series favourites. They have been generally good in this format this year, defeating India 4-1 at home, and winning four out of seven completed matches in the Caribbean to claim that tri-series - though there was a series loss in New Zealand. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have been uniformly terrible - their top order has been unsteady and a toothless attack has gummed its way around the planet. In the field, Sri Lanka have sometimes seemed more interested with dating the ball than collecting it; they've approached it tentatively, caressed it lovingly towards the boundary, then escorted it gallantly to the rope.

But Tests and ODIs are played in the selfsame universe, so the business of picking a favourite becomes more difficult. On the one hand, some of Australia's batsmen have been so traumatised in the Tests, they are likely to struggle with spin in ODIs as well. Yet, on the other hand, it is Rangana Herath who had them breaking out in cold sweats in the dressing room, and they will not have to face him in the shorter formats.

Where Sri Lanka may have a minor edge is in the confidence of a dynamic top order. Every batsman in the likely top seven has a broad range of strokes, and the batting has rarely been weak in home one-day series. But the bowling is short of experience. Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan and Amila Aponso have played fewer than 100 ODIs between them.

Australia will also know that while Sri Lanka cannot field their best player of the Test series, their own spearhead is now moving in to what has so far been his preferred format. Mitchell Starc has taken 98 wickets at 19.79 in ODIs. He is capable of defining this series.

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: WWLWL

Sri Lanka: LLLTW

When Tillakaratne Dilshan last played limited-overs cricket for Sri Lanka, he was the warhorse dragging a meek top order forward. He now enters a side that has experienced significant regeneration, and has a sense of fresh excitement about it. Less than three months out from his 40th birthday, Dilshan may now wish to impress on the selectors that he remains integral to this side. That is - if he himself wishes to continue for some time.

Steven Smith appears to have taken the series whitewash harder than most, admitting that he finished the Test series with many regrets, and with dismissals playing over and over in his mind. But Herath's absence in the ODIs might benefit him most of all - he had been out to Herath five times in the Tests. Rarely does a tour go by without a major contribution from Smith, and his one-day form in the Caribbean was excellent. He hit a tournament-high 264 runs at an average of 52.80.

Sri Lanka will probably push Dhananjaya de Silva into the lower middle order to round out their top seven. But on the even of the match, Angelo Mathews admitted the attack was proving a "selection headache". One of either Amila Aponso or Lakshan Sandakan may get a debut however.

Sri Lanka(possible): 1. Kusal Perera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Milinda Siriwardana, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Amila Aponso/Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep

There is a little uncertainty in the top of the order, given there are four openers in the squad. With the Khettarama track expected to take turn, two spinners may play, with Josh Hazlewood perhaps sitting out.

Australia(possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh/Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 George Bailey, 6 Matthew Wade (wk), 7 James Faulkner, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Adam Zampa

Mathews said the pitch looked "quite dry again", and it almost always turns at Khettarama - particularly in the second innings of a match. There is a chance of showers, around dusk.

"To win a series against a number one team - especially against Australia - meant a lot to us. The confidence levels turned around after that Pallekele match. The confidence levels are pretty high now and we hope to continue that in the one-day format as well."