That is really the best way to describe this performance. They showed both their extreme characters today, both with bat and ball. They were clubbed around by Finch & co. at the start but then pulled things back brilliantly to restrict Australia to a 350-minus score.
With the bat, Karunaratne and Kusal Perera started beautifully, putting on 115 for the opening wicket before Starc removed the latter. Thirimanne fell quickly and Karunaratne then upper cut one straight to gully three short of a maiden ton, which effectively started a procession of wickets. Mathews, Thisara Perera, Siriwardana all came in and walked out even quicker. The tail was polished off by Starc, who ended up with four wickets.
Australia have been very clinical the past two games, and Sri Lanka are most certainly out of the tournament here. Not that anything more was expected out of them anyway. It wasa great pleasure to bring you updates today, tomorrow it is the blockbuster game between India and Pakistan. Do join us then. Till then, goodbye and goodnight!
45.1 Cummins to de Silva, DOT, walks across the stumps, goes for the hook, does not connect
45.2 Cummins to de Silva, DOT, length ball on off, defended. Go full and straight, Pat, come on!!
45.3 Cummins to de Silva, DOT, goes length again, punches it off the back foot
45.4 Cummins to de Silva, 1 run, a half hearted pull, rolls to mid wicket
45.5 Cummins to Pradeep, OUT, finally! Makes room, drives, the outside edge is found and taken too
Pradeep c Carey b Cummins 0(7)
44.1 Richardson to de Silva, DOT, low full toss, played to mid on
44.2 Richardson to de Silva, WIDE, past the tramline
44.2 Richardson to de Silva, DOT.
44.3 Richardson to de Silva, DOT, goes for the scoop Misbah-esque in the 2007 World T20 final, umpires go up for a fair catch, and it has bounced in front of Behrendorff at short fine. Not Out!
44.4 Richardson to de Silva, FOUR, goes for another scoop, it is outside off so he reverse scoops it over fine leg
44.5 Richardson to de Silva, 1 run, what the hell is happening? Dhananjaya goes for the slog, it goes high up and lands safely at mid on. Why is there no mid on, Finchy??
44.6 Richardson to Pradeep, DOT.
Starc finished his quota with that last over, so no second fifer this tourney. Cummins is back
43.1 Cummins to de Silva, DOT, defended
43.2 Cummins to de Silva, WIDE, short and deemed too high
43.2 Cummins to de Silva, DOT, backs away, Pat follows him, he can only defend in the end
43.3 Cummins to de Silva, DOT, defends off the back foot. Dhananjaya wants me to miss the last metro home. Ok then!
43.4 Cummins to de Silva, 1 run, short and pulled to deep square leg
43.5 Cummins to Pradeep, DOT, makes room, wants to swing, does not connect
43.6 Cummins to Pradeep, DOT.