Australia vs Sri Lanka scorecard, Talking Points, Steve Smith LBW, Adam Zampa, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins, highlights, video

Australia claimed their maiden World Cup victory by beating Sri Lanka by five wickets in a topsy-turvy contest at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Monday evening.

A game-changing spell from Australian player Adam Zampa triggered a chaotic 9-52 collapse in the first innings, with Sri Lanka eventually making 209.

Half-centuries for opener Mitchell Marsh and wicketkeeper Josh Inglis steered Australia towards the target with more than 14 overs remaining, knocking the five-time champions off the bottom of the World Cup ladder. world.

Australia next face Pakistan on Friday at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, with first ball scheduled for 7:30 p.m. AEDT.

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ZAMPA RECOVERS HIS GROOVE

Adam Zampa has finally arrived.

After a slow start to the tournament, the leg-spinner announced himself with a game-changing performance against Sri Lanka, taking four wickets at the Ekana Stadium.

The New South Welshman tore the Sri Lanka middle apart in a damaging eight-over, finishing with his best bowling figures in the World Cup.

This comes after Zampa endured a torrid run of form in the 50 over format, taking seven wickets at 61.42 with an economy of 7.41 in his previous six ODIs. He infamously equaled the all-time record for worst ODI bowling figures, falling for 113 runs in the fourth ODI against South Africa at SuperSport Park.

Zampa was also outclassed by part-time spinner Glenn Maxwell in Australia’s first two World Cup matches against India and South Africa, where he struggled to find line and length constants.

Even his first over against Sri Lanka was far from ideal, with the New South Welshman conceding 22 runs in his first three overs.

“His line and length was so inconsistent from what we are used to,” muttered former Australian captain Aaron Finch in commentary.

However, Zampa bounced back when he returned to the attack in the 28th over, removing rival captain Kusal Mendis and the dangerous Sadeera Samarawickrama in consecutive deliveries.

“He defends Australia so often when they need him most,” Finch said during the innings break.

“He was not at his best level, he would admit, throughout the start of this tournament.

“But sometimes you just need one wicket, one delivery… from then on he was back to his best, bowling straight, bowling a good length, mixing his pace.”

Former England captain Nasser Hussain continued: “Australia wanted their leg-spinner to find some form, and he certainly did.”

Speaking at the post-match presentation, where he was declared player of the match, Zampa admitted that he had not been at his best in the early stages of the tournament.

“Especially in the last game, I could have played a little better,” Zampa said.

“My role is to take wickets, and I haven’t done that… I feel like I could do better.

“It’s nice to be in the best part of the result today.”

However, Australia will be sweating on Zampa’s fitness after the spinner suffered an injury following Sri Lanka’s innings in Lucknow.

“I’ve had a few back spasms the last few days,” he continued.

“I tried to get out of it…my back hurt really bad.”

SMITH’S CLARING PROBLEM AFTER AN UNWANTED PREMIERE

Steve Smith was impenetrable on his pads.

It was a trademark of his heroic Ashes campaign in 2019, repeatedly crossing the crease and taking England seamers through mid-wicket with ease.

His hand-eye coordination was second to none, but it seems to be fading.

Before the recent Ashes series in England, all three of Smith’s dismissals in the county champions came before the wicket – although they included some questionable umpiring decisions. He was also trapped on the pads by England captain Ben Stokes in the first innings of the opening Ashes match at Edgbaston.

And Smith’s LBW problem isn’t going away.

The right-hander has already been dismissed in three of his last four ODI innings, bowled by fast bowlers each time.

Last week, Smith was stunned after South Africa managed to overturn an LBW decision, falling victim to Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada. Then, in Monday night’s chase in Lucknow, Smith played all around a hoop inswinger from Sri Lankan speedy Dilshan Madushanka, wisely choosing not to revisit the decision.

Hawkeye confirmed that he was absolutely plumb.

It was Smith’s first duck in the World Cup. He also became the first Australian to suffer three ODI ducks in India in a calendar year.

“It’s just something I never thought I’d see (from Smith) in the last 12 months or so, coming out of LBW,” former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson said in commentary.

“When I was struggling to get out of LBW, Steve Smith was someone I thought, ‘How can he never miss them?’

“It’s been happening a bit more for Steve Smith lately. He never missed it.

Smith has recorded scores of 46, 19 and 0 in the World Cup so far; Afghanistan’s Rahmat Shah is the only other No. 3 batter to reach fifty in the tournament.

Australia will need Smith firing on all cylinders for the remainder of the group stage to have any chance of advancing to the semi-finals.

CUMMINS IS BIG

Cricket legend Michael Clarke dropped a bombshell on Monday morning, claiming Australia captain Pat Cummins should be ruled out for Monday’s clash against Sri Lanka.

“I heard last night that Pat Cummins is not going to be selected for this game,” Clarke said on his radio show.

Cummins had taken just one wicket in Australia’s first two World Cup matches, while in the 2023 calendar year, he has picked up just three wickets at 69.00.

However, Clarke’s call was debunked when Cummins withdrew for the toss at Ekana Stadium.

While Sri Lanka seemed to be on the front foot, hitting half-centuries in the first two matches, Cummins proved the difference and stood tall when his team needed it most.

He dismissed Pathum Nissanka on 61 to break an opening stand of 125 before trapping the wicket of Kusal Perera (78) five overs later.

Until the 27th over, Cummins was Australia’s only wicket-taker, but luckily leg-spinner Adam Zampa stepped in with two quick wickets.

However, Cummins injected himself into the match again in the 35th over to dent Sri Lanka’s hopes of posting a competitive total. After neatly picking up a moving ball at mid-off, Cummins threw the stumps to the bowler’s side to dismiss Dunith Wellalage.

The moment left former Australian opener Aaron Finch stunned, hailing the skipper who proved the difference in Sri Lanka’s innings of batting.

Cummins finished with impressive figures of 2-32 from seven overs in a timely return to form.

“EXCEPTIONAL”: INGLIS CEMENTS ODI SPOT

Josh Inglis rewarded the selectors’ faith with a save fifty during Australia’s run chase in Lucknow on Monday, validating his shock selection.

Last week, outgoing wicketkeeper Alex Carey was left out of Australia’s starting XI in an explosive selection call, replaced by Inglis ahead of Thursday’s loss to South Africa.

After the West Australian missed a catch and recorded a single-digit score against the Proteas, it looked like the gamble had backfired on the Proteas.

However, Inglis proved his worth with a courageous half-century against the Sri Lankans, scoring 58 (59) to help Australia reach the 210-run target with 88 balls to spare.

The 28-year-old feasted on Lahiru Kumara’s wayward bowling in the 25th over, dabbing a delicate late cut from third man before lofting a hook into the stands.

He needed just 46 deliveries to reach fifty, his second in ODIs and first in the World Cup, reaching the minor milestone with a glorious straight drive after mid-off.

Inglis partnered Marnus Labuschagne for a crucial 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket before falling victim to spinner Dunith Wellalage in the 34th over.

“Josh Inglis tonight was outstanding,” said former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson in commentary.

“He rewarded the trust of the selectors and his captain by arriving at number 5 at a crucial time for Australia in this World Cup.

“He looked so happy and comfortable in the crease, in only his second World Cup match.”

Inglis, after serving as a touring reserve for over 24 months, virtually secured his place in the Australian starting XI for the remainder of the tournament.

DIRE DRS RECORD IN AUSTRALIA

Australia’s horror run with DRS continued against Sri Lanka.

After reviewing the very first ball of the innings, which was unsuccessful, their success rate dropped to zero after three attempts during their World Cup campaign in India. The Australians were desperate for the ball to collect the pad first, but Mitchell Starc’s inside-out yorker was deemed to have hit opener Pathum Nissanka’s bat.

When Glenn Maxwell was bowling to Kusan Perera in the tenth over, the off-spinner made a huge appeal after hitting the left-hander’s pad.

Skipper Pat Cummins opted not to review the on-field decision not to get out, instead retaining his advice for further chances in the innings.

Hawkeye later showed that the Australians had made a serious mistake and that the decision would have been overturned if it had been reversed with a hammer blow.

“Glenn Maxwell was very confident, it was the double call as well,” said former Australia captain Aaron Finch.

“Maxwell should have had a wicket…hit Kusal Perera on the pads and decided not to review.

“I think it was more a reflection of the one they burned on the first ball of the day, a big inside edge… it shows their desperation to compete, they wasted it.

“This can often happen when you’re looking for something, but often you’re not 100% sure what you’re looking for. »

Cricket pundit Geoff Lemon also called Australia “all over the shop” and criticized Cummins’ initial assessment.

“A bad review on the first rating means they are not ready to use the next review that would have yielded a wicket,” Lemon wrote on X.

The initial test failure proved costly for the Australians, with Sri Lanka’s opening duo combining for a 125-run partnership before Nissanka fell for 61.

Australian DRS fortunes improved in the chase when Marnus Labuschagne avoided a fearsome golden duck by successfully overturning an incorrect decision made behind.