Zampa spins Aussies to victory to deny Sri Lanka series sweep

Skipper Tharanga happy with players despite defeat

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa claimed three wickets to bowl Australia to victory and avoid a Twenty20 series wipeout against Sri Lanka in Adelaide yesterday.

Man-of-the-match Zampa, who was left out of the previous match as the Sri Lankans won to clinch the three-match series, captured three for 25 at a crucial stage as Australia went on to win by 41 runs.

“It is always nice to bowl the middle overs and it is very easy when you have a start like that,” Zampa said.

Fearless players

“Sri Lanka have very fearless players, sometimes it can be tough to bowl at them.”

Openers Aaron Finch and Michael Klinger hit half-centuries as the Australians, with their leading stars in India for this week’s Test series, set Sri Lanka 188 runs to win.

But the Sri Lankans could not reproduce another of their blazing late innings comebacks Australia 6 for 187 (Klinger 62, Finch 53) beat Sri Lanka 146 (Faulkner 3-20, Zampa 3-25) by 41 runs where they won the first two T20 games off the last ball. “I thought we played some fantastic cricket tonight. A complete performance like this makes the last match even more heart-breaking,” skipper Finch said.

“When you have Klinger at the other end, he lets you play your shots. We have been guilty of not converting starts. Today we had two fifties and Dunk and Head chipping in.”

Sri Lanka’s chase was given early impetus by Dilshan Munaweera, who smacked 37 from 25 balls, but from 41 without loss in the fourth over the tourists lost traction and slid to 76 for four in the 10th over.

Zampa claimed the vital wicket of man of the series Asela Gunaratne, leg before wicket for four in the 10th over and the tourists were unable to arouse another of their sensational finishes to beat Australia’s total.