Finch hits ton, Starc turns the screws as Australia ease past Sri Lanka

Australia captain Aaron Finch and pace bowler Mitchell Starc stole the show as the World Cup holders eased to an 87-run win over Sri Lanka at the Oval on Saturday.

Finch equalled his career-best one-day international score with a masterful 153 and Steve Smith chipped in with 73 as Australia scored an imposing 334-7.

Needing a World Cup record run-chase to claim a shock win, Sri Lanka got off to a flying start thanks to a first-wicket partnership of 115 between captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera.

But Perera departed for 52 and when Karunaratne fell on 97 the game swung back in Australia’s direction.

Starc was the catalyst, with a fiery spell of three wickets in six balls, Australia eventually dismissing Sri Lanka for 247 thanks in large part to his 4-55 from 10 overs.

Kane Richardson added three wickets of his own as Australia made it four wins from their five group matches after previously beating Afghanistan, the West Indies and Pakistan.

Their lone defeat in the 10-team tournament came against India and their latest victory puts them well on course for a semi-final berth.

“I thought we were a tad short with the new ball and it’s so hard to pull it back after that,” said man-of-the-match Finch.

“We were a bit slow to change our plans and lost a bit of momentum.”

“With each game we’re improving,” he added.

“Through the middle overs today we were excellent with the way we pulled it back with our pace bowlers and Maxy (Glenn Maxell). Mitch was all over them, he is a world-class bowler.”

Sri Lanka, who lost their last seven wickets for 42 runs, have only one win from their five matches, a disappointing run that includes two washouts.

They face a struggle to reach the semi-finals with only four matches left, a spell that features encounters with title contenders England and India.

Sri Lanka had briefly looked capable of surpassing the World Cup chase set by Ireland, who made 329-7 to beat England in 2011.

Karunaratne and his opening partner Perera blasted 24 from the first two overs and reached their fifty partnership in just the seventh over.

But Starc bowled Perera and Jason Behrendorff dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne for 16 as Australia hit back.

Karunaratne stumbled short of his maiden World Cup century when he carelessly flicked Richardson to Maxwell at backward point.

That left Sri Lanka on 186-3 and Pat Cummins then had Angelo Mathews caught behind by Alex Carey.

That set the stage for Starc to turn the screw by dismissing Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera and Kusal Mendis in quick succession.

Mendis’s mistimed drive off Starc reduced Sri Lanka to 222-7 and shattered their resistance.

Earlier, Finch took the Sri Lanka attack apart with a dazzling display that included 15 fours and five sixes.

He was well-supported by Smith’s 73 from 59 balls and the pair put on 173 runs for the third wicket.

Sri Lanka had no answer to Finch’s brutal assault and by the time he departed, caught by Karunaratne off Isuru Udana, Australia were in a commanding position.

Maxwell’s quick-fire 46 from 25 balls rubbed salt into Sri Lanka’s wounds.

“We got a good start with the bat but our middle order couldn’t capitalise on that,” said Karunaratne.

“We need to win a couple of games against the top sides to make the top four,” he added.

Meanwhile, Marcus Stoinis will travel with Australia to Nottingham — Australia’s venue for the June 20 game against Bangladesh — and there a final call would be made whether the injured all-rounder would remain in the squad for the rest of the World Cup or not.

Stoinis had to miss Australia’s last game against Pakistan with a side strain, prompting the team management to fly in Mitchell Marsh.

The 29-year-old has also been sidelined for Saturday’s game against Sri Lanka at The Oval.

The right-hander batted in the Oval nets on Friday despite having a side strain which is preventing him from bowling.

Stoinis has not been able to click in the campaign so far (19 runs at 19.5 and four wickets at 29.5) in the three matches he has played.

Finch exuded confidence on Mitchell, who is on standby and has begun training with the squad in case he is drafted into the official squad in place of Stoinis.

“Yeah, that’s why he (Marsh)’s here ... but as a bit of a precaution more than anything, if Stoinis doesn’t recover well enough over the next couple of days,” Finch was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.

“There is confidence that Mitch will come in and do well if selected, if Stoinis doesn’t recover properly,” he added.

Agencies