Aussie Under-19 destroyer handed ODI debut

The Sri Lankan Under-19 captain who dominated Australia's best young guns earlier this year has been given the chance to match it with the big boys with Dunith Wellalage handed his maiden ODI cap for the series opener in Kandy.

Hero of the hosts' last-ball T20I win at the same venue on Saturday, captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss for Tuesday's 50-over clash and elected to bat first for the Pallekele Stadium clash being played on the Buddhist 'Poya' lunar holiday.

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Sri Lanka XI: Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson

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The visitors have been boosted by the return of stars Pat Cummins, David Warner (who made a match-winning century in Australia's last ODI at the venue six years ago) and Steve Smith for their first one-day internationals in 18 months.

They are mighty opponents for the prodigious Wellalage, a left-arm orthodox bowler and middle-order batter who made his first-class debut aged just 16 and is considered one of the island's brightest prospects in some time.

Fellow allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga, the country's leading limited-overs player, presented the 19-year-old with Sri Lanka ODI cap No.204 before play.

Wellalage destroyed Australia's U19s at the youth World Cup in the Caribbean earlier this year, snaring 5-28 to roll them for just 175 before hitting a composed 52 after his side stumbled early in their chase.

He made a century against South Africa later in the tournament, becoming the first Sri Lankan U19 skipper to achieve the feat at an U19 World Cup, and finished as the tournament's leading wicket taker.

Playing for Sri Lanka A last week, he impressed against Australia A in first of two one-dayers, scoring 33 off 30 from number seven including a pair of late sixes while also dismissing Josh Philippe and Henry Hunt.

Aaron Finch had already confirmed the Australian XI on the eve of the match, with Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey all named after missing their 2-1 T20 series victory.

Wellalage and Dhananaya de Silva are the fresh faces for the Lankans, with Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Praveen Jayawickrama dropping out from the XI that won the third T20I.

The hosts have picked three spinners in Hasaranga, Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshanna, while the Aussies have just one specialist in Ashton Agar.

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, 2022

June 7: Australia won first T20 by 10 wickets

June 8: Australia won second T20 by three wickets

June 11: Sri Lanka won third T20 by four wickets

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Niroshan Dickwella, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 14: First ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST

June 16: Second ODI, Kandy, 7pm AEST

June 19: Third ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 21: Fourth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

June 24: Fifth ODI, Colombo, 7pm AEST

Sri Lanka Test squad (provisional): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohamed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshitha Rasanjana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suminda Lakshan

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

June 29 - July 3: First Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

All Sri Lanka v Australia international fixtures will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports

Australia A fixtures

Australia A squad: Scott Boland, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee

Sri Lanka A one-day squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Udara, Lasith Croospulle, Oshada Fernando, Pabasara Waduge, Kamindu Mendis, Ashen Bandara, Janitha Liyanage, Sahan Arachchi, Pulina Tharanga, Dunith Wellalage, Dananjaya Lakshan, Shiran Fernando (will not play due to injury), Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Nishan Madushka, Ashen Daniel,Nisala Tharaka

June 8: Australia A won by seven wickets

June 10: Sri Lanka A won by four wickets

June 14-17: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota

June 21-24: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota