Carey gives Australia consolation ODI win

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey’s unbeaten 45 and an inspired bowling performance helped Australia to a four-wicket consolation win over Sri Lanka in the fifth and final one-day international (ODI) yesterday.Australia bowled out the hosts for 160, a potentially tricky total on a bowling-friendly Colombo pitch which the tourists overhauled with 10.3 overs to spare.Fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann took two wickets each.Chamika Karunaratne hit a valiant 75 for Sri Lanka, who won the five-match series 3-2 after they had taken an unassailable lead following the fourth match.Australia were in trouble at 50-4 before the left-handed Carey and Marnus Labuschagne, who made 31, put on a key stand of 51.“We understand where our shortcomings come. No secret that we tend to struggle a little bit more in these conditions when they (pitches) are turning big,” said Finch who is not part of the Test team that will next take on the hosts in a two-match series starting next week.“I think the confidence in the group to get over the line in a tight run chase, albeit only 160-odd, was still really important. Alex Carey played a real crucial knock with Cameron (Green) driving us home.”Teenage left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage took three wickets including David Warner, for 10, and Glenn Maxwell, for 16, but the left-handed Carey kept his calm.Earlier Sri Lanka slipped to 85-8 before Karunaratne, who improved on his previous ODI best of 44 not out, and debutant Pramod Madushan put on a stubborn stand of 58 for the ninth wicket.“It (today’s loss) is disappointing, but we need to keep pushing the boundaries. Glad with the way the guys performed in the series,” said Shanaka, whose side lost the T20 international series 2-1.“We took the momentum from the last T20 game, that set the tone.”Many Sri Lankan supporters wore Australia’s yellow and held banners thanking the tourists for visiting the island nation, which is battling an unprecedented economic crisis. Finch in turn thanked the fans for being “amazing”.The two teams now head to Galle for the Tests starting June 29.SCOREBOARDSri LankaD. Gunathilaka c Finch b Hazlewood 8P. Nissanka c Carey b Hazlewood 2K. Mendis hit wicket b Maxwell 26D. Chandimal c Finch b Cummins 6C. Asalanka run out  14D. Shanaka b Kuhnemann 1D. Wellalage c Cummins b Kuhnemann 4C. Karunaratne c Carey b Cummins 75J. Vandersay run out (Labuschagne) 4P. Madushan c and b Green 15M. Theekshana not out 2Extras (w3) 3Total (all out, 43.1 overs) 160Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Nissanka), 2-12 (Gunathilaka), 3-34 (Chandimal), 4-56 (Asalanka), 5-56 (Mendis), 6-61 (Wellalage), 7-62 (Shanaka), 8-85 (Vandersay), 9-143 (Madushan), 10-160 (Karunaratne)Bowling: Hazlewood 7-3-22-2, Maxwell 10-0-38-1, Kuhnemann 10-3-26-2, Cummins 6.1-1-22-2 (w1), Marsh 1-0-3-0, Labuschagne 7-1-36-0 (w1), Green 2-0-13-1 (w1)

Australia (target 161)D. Warner c Gunathilaka b Wellalage 10A. Finch c Asalanka b Theekshana 0M. Marsh c Nissanka b Madushan 24J. Inglis c Nissanka b Theekshana 5M. Labuschagne lbw b D Wellalage 31A. Carey not out 45G. Maxwell b Wellalage 16C. Green not out 25Extras (w8) 8Total (6 wickets, 39.3 overs) 164Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Finch), 2-14 (Warner), 3-19 (Inglis), 4-50 (Marsh), 5-101 (Labuschagne), 6-121 (Maxwell)Bowling: Karunaratne 3-0-19-0 (w1), Theekshana 10-1-26-2 (w4), Wellalage 10-0-42-3 (w2), Vandersay 9.3-0-46-0, Madushan 3-0-13-1, Asalanka 4-0-18-0 (w1)Series result: Sri Lanka won 3-2