Wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey’s unbeaten 45 and inspired bowling helped Australia to a four-wicket consolation win over Sri Lanka in Friday’s fifth one-day international.
Australia knocked out the hosts for 160, a tricky total on a bowling-friendly field in Colombo that the tourists improved with 10.3 overs left.
Fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann took two wickets each.
Chamika Karunaratne hit a brave 75 for Sri Lanka who won the five-game streak 3-2 after taking an unbeatable lead in the fourth game.
Australia ran into problems 4-50 when southpaws Carey and Marnus Labuschagne, who made 31, used a key 51 to give chase.
Teenage left-handed spinner Dunith Wellalage took three wickets, including David Warner, for 10, and Glenn Maxwell, for 16, but southpaw Carey kept his cool.
Previously, Sri Lanka dropped to 85-8 for Karunaratne, who improved his previous ODI best of 44 not out, and debutant Pramod Madushan put up a stubborn 58 for the ninth wicket.
The tourists had quickly baffled the Sri Lankans after Hazlewood cleared the openers within five overs, finishing with numbers of 2-22.
Charith Asalanka was eliminated for 14 after a misunderstanding with his partner Kusal Mendis, who made 26, but was hit by a wicket by Glenn Maxwell on the next ball.
Kuhnemann, a left-hand spinner, then struck twice in one over, including skipper Dasun Shanaka for one, as Sri Lanka slipped further to 85-8.
But Karunaratne fought back when he reached his first ODI fifty with a limit at Cummins to celebrate with a fist pump.
Cummins finally got out of Karunaratne, who hit eight fours and two sixes during his stay, to round out the innings.
In response, Australia skipper Aaron Finch lost, for nothing, to mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana and the in-form Warner.
Medium-tempo bowler Madushan got his first international wicket after sending Mitchell Marsh back for 24.
Wellalage, 19, got Labuschagne out of lbw to break the fifth wicket tie, then threw Maxwell to raise hopes of another Sri Lankan kickback.
But Carey held out alongside Cameron Green, who made an unbeaten 25, while the pair amassed 43 runs to send the team home.
Many Sri Lankan supporters wore Australia’s gold and held banners to thank tourists for visiting the island, which is experiencing an unprecedented economic crisis.
promoted
The hosts recovered from their opening loss and won three in a row to capture their first ODI series win against Australia in over a decade.
The two teams will now head to Galle for two tests from June 29.
Topics mentioned in this article