Australian cricket team star David Warner won hearts as he helped the grounds crew cover the pitch when rain interrupted play at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Monday. Sri Lanka were 178 for four against Australia when rain stopped play and while most of the cricketers quickly left the field, Warner stayed behind and was seen dragging the blankets along with the stadium staff. The video of him helping them was posted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on their social media profiles and users were all praise for the veteran cricketer’s gesture.
Adam Zampa took four wickets as Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for 209 despite a maiden century stand by the island nation in a 2023 Cricket World Cup match that will give either team a maiden victory.
Pathum Nissanka (61) and Kusal Perera (78) put on 125 runs for the first wicket before Australia hit back to end the innings in 43.3 overs at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
Captain Pat Cummins brought down the openers to cause a collapse and Zampa joined forces to return figures of 4-47.
Sri Lanka opted to bat first and the right-left batting pair of Nissanka and Perera took on the opposition bowlers with regular boundaries – 20 between them.
Perera reached fifty with a boundary off Marcus Stoinis to the applause of the dressing room and some Sri Lankan fans in a largely empty 50,000-seater stadium.
Nissanka soon got his second successive half-century as Sri Lanka took the lead.
Cummins got Nissanka through a good outfield catch from David Warner and then bowled Perera.
Zampa sent skipper Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama back on successive balls between overs to avoid a hat-trick by Dhananjaya de Silva.
Rain interrupted play for about 25 minutes and the break only gave Australia more strength to return with wickets when left-arm quick Mitchell Starc De Silva bowled.
Sri Lanka continued to lose wickets and a direct throw from Cummins set up Dunith Wellalage for two.
Zampa continued his attack and picked up two more wickets, including Chamika Karunaratne, who was only called up this weekend to replace injured captain Dasun Shanaka.
Charith Aslanka made 25 before being bowled by Glenn Maxwell as the Sri Lankan innings came to an end.
Sri Lanka named two changes to their team, which scored over 325 runs in each of their two defeats.
Five-time winners Australia have also lost their first two matches after going six wickets behind to India and then suffering a 134-run thrashing against South Africa.
(With AFP inputs)
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