28/01Result
2nd T20I (N), Sri Lanka tour of Australia at Melbourne, Jan 28 2013
Sri Lanka won by 2 runs (D/L)
Player of the Match
Thisara Perera
Thisara PereraSri Lanka
28/01Result
2nd T20I (N), Sri Lanka tour of Australia at Melbourne, Jan 28 2013
Sri Lanka won by 2 runs (D/L)
Player of the Match
Thisara Perera
Thisara PereraSri Lanka

END OF OVER:
15 | 15 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 119/3 (3 runs required, RR: 7.93)

  • Glenn Maxwell8 (3b)
  • Shaun Marsh47 (40b)
  • Thisara Perera3-0-25-1
  • Lasith Malinga3-0-26-0

That's about it for our coverage for this cracker of a match. Glad you could be with us. So Sri Lanka finally have something to take away from the tour, even if it was just in the Twenty20s. Until next time, ciao!

Anthony: "Sri Lanka took 33 minutes to bowl the final 5 overs. That's not good enough. We could have fitted in eight overs during that time. I presume the captain will be punished for extemely slow over rates." They certainly did take their time, particularly in that final over - which is what sparked the heated discussion I think. But the players (on both sides) will be lucky if Mathews is the only one who cops a fine methinks. Perera seemed to have given Maxwell a send off after that last ball as well, so he might be docked a percentage of his fees.

In the end, you've got to say Sri Lanka deserved to take it out. The D/L recalculation made things a touch tougher for them, but they gritted it out well, even with a damp ball. A valiant effort from Marsh and Bailey, but Australia just gave away too much ground in the early overs.

Thisara Perera has been adjudged man of the match for his 35 off 15 and 1 for 25 from three overs.

Tempers are really flaring here. Looks like Maxwell is riled up about the extra time that Sri Lanka took before the final ball, and there are about four or five Sri Lankan players who are right in there, arguing animatedly with him. That's about as irate as I have ever seen Mahela, and Dilshan seems pretty worked up as well. Matthew Wade getting some words in, having come onto the field from the dugout. Bailey comes in and plays peacemaker. I suspect we will be hearing more about that.

14.6
1b
NLTC Perera to Maxwell, 1 bye, swing and a miss! Sri Lanka sneak through! The ball was there for Maxwell. Wide again, and slightly overpitched, but he makes room and misses it this time. Chandimal collects cleanly and runs forward jubilantly.

Perera's under huge pressure here. Sri Lanka deep in a 5-man conference. The vacant area is still behind point.

14.5
4
NLTC Perera to Maxwell, FOUR, another one. Full toss outside off stump again, and that's carved over point for a second time. The crowd is going nuts at the MCG. What a super hand from Maxwell.
14.4
4
NLTC Perera to Maxwell, FOUR, full outside off stump, Maxwell gets low and slices it over point for four. Australia are still in it. Great shot first up.
14.3
1
NLTC Perera to Marsh, 1 run, yorker on leg stump, Marsh can't get hold of it. Dribbles back to Perera on the pitch. He shies at the stumps, but Australia decide against the overthrow
14.3
3nb
NLTC Perera to Marsh, (no ball) 2 runs, waist-high full toss, and that is hit almost all the way. Kulasekara takes it on the boundary, but has to let it go lest he fall over the boundary. It's a no-ball, so there's still four balls remaining, and an extra run.
14.2
W
NLTC Perera to Bailey, OUT, oh dear, Bailey. It was a low full toss on the stumps, but Bailey couldn't get enough on it and it sails to Kushal Perera at deep midwicket. That has swung the match significantly towards Sri Lanka.

GJ Bailey c MDKJ Perera b NLTC Perera 45 (48m 36b 4x4 0x6) SR: 125.00

14.1
2
NLTC Perera to Bailey, 2 runs, full and outside off stump, hit into a gap on the packed offside field and they just scamper two

Perera to finish here. He needs to restrict Australia to less than 17 in the over to get his side over the line. Australia need 18 to level the series.

END OF OVER:
14 | 16 Runs | AUS: 104/2 (18 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.42, RRR: 18.00)

  • Shaun Marsh44 (38b)
  • George Bailey43 (34b)
  • Lasith Malinga3-0-26-0
  • Nuwan Kulasekara3-0-18-1
13.6
4
Malinga to Marsh, FOUR, what a shot! Best of the day there! Malinga overpitches again, and Marsh backs away to drive that hard to the cover fence. Hit it into the square, and it bounced over the cover fielder. Australia have a sniff here.
13.5
1
Malinga to Bailey, 1 run, Bailey sets himself for another scoop, but Malinga goes really wide this time, almost pitching it off the cut strip. Bailey can only get an inside edge and the scramble one
13.4
2
Malinga to Bailey, 2 runs, full and wide of the off stump, Bailey drives that just wide of the cover sweeper and there is time for two, particularly as the return is no good
13.3
4
Malinga to Bailey, FOUR, four more! Malinga misses his length by a foot and a half. Bailey picks that up from deep in the crease and lofts it over square leg for four.
13.2
4
Malinga to Bailey, FOUR, beautifully played Bailey. You sensed it was coming. He moves towards the off side and plays the over the shoulder scoop. Absolutely middles it. Pressure on Malinga now.
13.1
1
Malinga to Marsh, 1 run, wide yorker, hit straight to the cover sweeper. Just one there.

34 from 12 balls required. Malinga in to deliver his last here. Make it or break it time.

END OF OVER:
13 | 9 Runs | AUS: 88/2 (34 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.76, RRR: 17.00)

  • Shaun Marsh39 (36b)
  • George Bailey32 (30b)
  • Nuwan Kulasekara3-0-18-1
  • Thisara Perera2-0-11-0
12.6
1
Kulasekara to Marsh, 1 run, yorker again. just outside off stump. Marsh can only dig that out to stump. Kulasekara has recovered well after a poor start.
12.5
0
Kulasekara to Marsh, no run, yorker just outside off stump. Marsh can't connect with a big swing
12.4
1
Kulasekara to Bailey, 1 run, Bailey moves across the stumps again, but it's up near the blockhole and he can only hit it to long on
12.3
1
Kulasekara to Marsh, 1 run, full and on the stumps, drilled to long off

Match Coverage

All Match News

  • Bailey eager to find a death bowler

    George Bailey believes finding bowlers who can restrict runs at the death will be one of the keys for Australia as they prepare for the 2014 World Twenty20

  • Ugly finish just 'heat of the moment'

    The Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and his Australia counterpart George Bailey have played down the ugly scenes at the end of the second Twenty20

  • Sri Lanka cling on for last-ball win

    Thisara Perera was the difference with the bat and then held his nerve, although only barely, with the ball to seal a two-run victory off the final delivery of a rain-reduced chase

  • 'We need to take more batting risks' - Maxwell

    When asked what areas Australia needed to improve in order to level the Twenty20 series after their loss to Sri Lanka in Sydney, allrounder Glenn Maxwell's answer was revealing: batting, bowling and fielding

Australia 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st10AJ FinchDA Warner
2nd10SE MarshAJ Finch
3rd86SE MarshGJ Bailey
4th13SE MarshGJ Maxwell