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Pallekele: Australia clinched the series 4-1 after as they defeated Sri Lanka by 5 wickets thanks to David Warner's knock of 106.
A scintillating batting effort from Captain David Warner who scored 106 along with George Bailey who scored 44 saw their team comfortably chase down a target of 196 in 43 overs.
Initially in the first innings, Australian bowlers restricted the Sri Lanka as they were done all out at 195. Mitchell Starc was the pick of the bowlers as he took 3 wickets in 9 overs giving 40 runs.
Following a target of 196, hHaving openers like David Warner and Aaron Finch under their belt is certainly a plus point for any team. But things looked different when Australia came out to bat with Captain Warner and wicket keeper Mathew Wade.
Wade had batted nicely in the previous matches where he along with George bailey had saved their team out of tight spots and got to victory. Maybe that would have the strategy to go with Wade along with Warner.
Australia had put up 31 runs on board with the loss of 2 wickets at the end of the first powerplay which was their lowest in this series. Bailey came into bat at No.3 after Khawaja departed. Sri Lanka bowlers continued to ask questions to both Warner and Bailey as variations in balling and fielding were increasing Warner’s frustrations.
But both Warner and Bailey made sure that they took out their team out of the tight spot as they went on to play the attacking spin bowling from Sri Lanka.
Earlier, Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets to help Australia dismiss Sri Lanka for a modest 195 in 40.2 overs.
Openers Dhananjaya de Silva and Danushka Gunathilaka put together a 73-run partnership, Sri Lanka's best opening stand of the ODI series.
But Australia's persistent attack took three wickets in nine deliveries to rattle the Sri Lankan top order with a mini-collapse.
Left-arm pacer James Faulkner had de Silva trudging back to the pavilion for 34. The batsman was beaten by the angle of the ball, giving a catch to mid-on in the 14th over.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa struck in the very next over to have Gunathilaka bowled round his legs for 39, after the batsman attempted a sweep while exposing his leg stump.
Starc, who was brought back for his second spell in the 16th over, then had stand-in skipper Dinesh Chandimal caught behind for one.
Kusal Mendis (33) and Upul Tharanga put on 43 for the fourth wicket to try and rebuild the innings, but the wickets kept tumbling.
Kusal Perera, who scored 14, may have suffered an umpiring error after reviewing his lbw dismissal off Travis Head.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka - 195 (Gunathilaka 39, Starc 3-40)
Australia - 199 for 5 (Warner 106, Bailey 44, Dilruwan 3-51)
Result - Australia won by five wickets
