Pace pair Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will be rested for this month’s One-Day International series in South Africa, Cricket Australia said Friday.
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The Sri Lankan Cricket selectors still reeling from a double whammy of losing the five-match ODI series and their charismatic captain through injury have resorted to their usual game of musical chairs in a desperate attempt to wring a face-saving win in the fifth and final ODI at Pallekele today.
“We set out to do this (become professional cricketers) because we enjoy and love playing cricket”, Warner added.
“I never doubt myself and I haven’t doubted myself and I kept backing my plan and executing my plans”.
Unlike his Test numbers, he had not quite stepped up against the white-ball as evidenced by a paltry ODI average of 37.53 in an era of benign pitches and large bats with only one of those six centuries in the 50-overs arena coming outside Australia.
“It’s been challenging, the wickets have been some of the toughest that you’ll get in one-day worldwide cricket”, Wade said.
“But that’s part and parcel of this game”.
“You get a bit of luck your way and fortunately tonight I got that luck”.
The impressive effort in the field came at a cost, with big-hitting opener Aaron Finch forced from the field with an injured index finger after a failed attempt to complete a hard catch at first slip. Warner’s innings therefore had a high Pressure Impact as he strung a crucial 132-run partnership with George Bailey (44 off 73 balls). Chandimal has been on a rise since an year, performing unrelentingly against every team he faces, home or away doesn’t matter.With nearly every batsmen failing in the series, Chandimal accumulated 236 runs in 5 matches at an impressive average of 59.00.
“It was a semi appeal”, Warner said after play.
“He’s been a fantastic player in these conditions for a while now”. In the next over Zampa bowled Gunathilaka (39) and in the over that followed Chandimal was caught behind off Starc leaving Sri Lanka 78 for three.
“I practised it and then played it in the 2009 World Cup against Shane Watson and it went for a six and that shot gave me lot of courage”. The bowlers, they didn’t switch on in the first 10, they probably lacked a little energy and intent.
“They haven’t been suited to the way we play, but we’ve adapted really well with the ball as well”.
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The first four ODIs have been characterised by low scores, with Sri Lanka’s 288 in their sole victory the largest total posted in the series, and Wade accepted the pitches have been tough.
