Embarrassing batting brings woes to Sri Lanka

Five-time champions Australia’s World Cup campaign had got off to a horror start after big defeats against India and South Africa and they were relinquished to the bottom of the points table. But Sri Lanka gave away a springboard to Pat Cummins’ side to gain some momentum in the campaign with an horror batting performance in Lucknow yesterday.

Opening batters Kusal Janith Perera and Pathum Nissanka had given the side a terrific start with both of them scoring half-centuries. The opening wicket stand was worth 125 runs and had come at a run ball. Sri Lanka had the ideal platform to post a total in the region of 300 runs and put the game out of Australia’s reach. But what followed was absolute mayhem as the batting collapsed.

From 157 for one, Sri Lanka were shot out for 209 losing their last nine wickets for just 52 runs and none of the batters apart from the openers were able to counter the Australian attack.

The slide started after Nissanka was caught in the deep by David Warner off Cummins. KJP looked set for his maiden World Cup hundred finding the boundary frequently, but Cummins cleaned him up for 78.

The inform Kusal Mendis attempted to take on Adam Zampa but failed to clear the boundary and then the leg-spinner was all over finishing with four wickets.

Charith Asalanka with 25 runs attempted to hold fort but wickets kept falling from the other end and he was last man dismissed.

This has been always the case with Australia. If they get a slight look in, then they will keep putting pressure and knock teams over and that exactly what happened to Sri Lanka yesterday.

Sri Lanka were shot out with more than six overs to spare as old problems resurfaced for the former champions. The middle order simply has lost ideas how to counter the bowling if there is a collapse. In hindsight, Sri Lankan fans will be hoping that these young players will learn. Some of them also would wish that with bit more experience in the line-up the team could have avoided such humiliating collapses.

Despite the collapse, Sri Lanka will take heart from the fact that KJP made crucial runs. His form has been awful prior to yesterday. He is one player who can turn a game on his own.