Earlier, pace spearhead Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets to help Australia dismiss Sri Lanka for a modest 195 in 40.2 overs.
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Half the Australian squad could change for next February’s tour of India in what shapes as the most radical and hotly debated shake-up of the Test line-up in years. Sri Lanka appealed but chose not to review Aleem Dar’s decision who had adjudged it not out.
Dinesh Chandimal: Sri Lanka’s knight in shining armor Dinesh Chandimal, continued to prove his worth in runs for his team yet again.
Despite the series being more than five months away the thinking on the make-up of the touring party is advanced because less weight than usual is set to be applied to performances in the home global summer when it comes to determining the squad for India.
It has been a low-scoring series with the pitches criticised by the Australians, and the Pallekele wicket is somewhat of an unknown quantity for the tourists. Kusal managed just a single fifty in the series, to end-up with 86 runs in the ODI series.
“We have played more quicks than what they (Sri Lanka) play, with a bit of variable bounce and reverse swing that has countered their spin, and the way Zamps (legspinner Adam Zampa) has backed it up has been top class”.
The fifth and final ODI between the two teams will be played in Pallekele on Sunday. And the last three fell within 11 runs of each other.
“I feel like my game is now really at a level where I can contribute in one-day global cricket”.
Chandimal elected to bat first and had his side’s best opening partnership of the series from de Silva and Gunathilaka, who shared 73 runs. The keeper thought I didn’t hit it.
The hosts are without their captain Mathews or the retired veteran in Dilshan.
Warner, who will also lead Australia for the two T20s against Sri Lanka in the absence of regular skipper Steven Smith, admitted that it will be a challenge to continue playing all formats of the game as his family commitments become more demanding.
Not only was Warner the highest impact batsman and player of the match, but he also produced the highest impact performance of his ODI career so far.
Australia’s tour of South Africa begins with a one-off ODI against Ireland in Benoni on September 27, followed by five ODIs against South Africa in Centurion, Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.
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Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Angelo Perera, Avishka Fernando and Lakshan Sandakan played just one match in the series and hence it is unfair to rate these players based on their show in the game.
