Steve Smith has succumbed to a quad injury as Mitch Marsh and Cameron Green return to an Australia side that will bat first in Colombo
Smith out as Green, Marsh return for third ODI
Steve Smith’s quad strain has ruled him out of the third one-day international as Mitch Marsh and Cameron Green returned to Australia’s side with the five-game series against Sri Lanka level at 1-1.
Pat Cummins has been rested and Mitchell Swepson dropped as the Aussies rejigged the balance of their XI that will rely on allrounders Marsh, Green, Glenn Maxwell and Marnus Labuschagne to chip in with overs, with only three specialist bowlers selected.
Aaron Finch won the toss and elected to bat first on a humid afternoon in the Sri Lankan capital that will host the final three ODIs of the series.
Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood
Sri Lanka XI: Niroshan Dickwella, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana
Smith pulled up with a sore left quad injury running a two in Australia's run chase on Thursday, batting on with heavy strapping on his leg before being dismissed two overs later.
The tourists say the strain is only minor and the star batter could return for the final two ODIs, and is not in doubt for the Test series that is less than a fortnight away.
Marsh will take up Smith’s No.3 spot while Green, who has been the given the green light to resume bowling having been managed through the early part of the ODI series, is listed to bat at No.8.
Aaron Finch has won the toss and Australia will bat first against Sri Lanka in the third ODI in Colombo #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/yzAMQqOCph
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) June 19, 2022
Travis Head has been demoted to No.6, below keeper Alex Carey.
Paceman Jhye Richardson is also back in the team as the replacement for Cummins, with Mitchell Starc still unavailable due to his finger injury.
The omission of Swepson is a strong endorsement for Matthew Kuhnemann, who took two wickets on ODI debut on Thursday in Kandy having been flown in as a last-minute replacement for the injured Ashton Agar.
The remarkable surge of Kuhnemann’s 50-over stocks is intriguing for his prospects in the upcoming two-Test campaign in Galle, where the Australians are expecting pitches to take significant turn.
Swepson is the incumbent second spinner (behind Nathan Lyon) in the Test team, while Agar has said the start of the second Test is an “optimistic” timeframe for his return from the side strain he suffered earlier this week.
Another left-arm spinner in Jon Holland, who played two Tests in Sri Lanka on Australia’s last tour to Sri Lanka six years ago, is joining the Australia A squad in Hambantota.
Right-arm offie Todd Murphy and leggie Tanveer Sangha had strong returns in their first four-day victory over Sri Lanka A.
Despite lengthening their batting order, the Aussies are eager to get a big score out of their top four having relied on their lower order to get them home in run chases in the first two ODIs.
Maxwell played a match-winning 51-ball 80no in the first, before a 26-run defeat followed in the second.
"Our top four have had starts so we'd like a big score out of them. But also our job through five, six and seven is to get us home," Carey said on Saturday. "Maxi did that in the first game.
"When Maxi is in the sheds and you know he's coming in, there's always a chance for anything.
"In the first game it was planned perfectly; he came in and played an unbelievable innings. The other night, he'll be disappointed to have gotten out when he did – we had the game there, we were ahead of the target, ahead of the rate.
"So just little things to tidy up … but we're definitely confident in that middle order. And the top order is craving some bigger runs as well."
For the hosts, Niroshan Dickwella returns in place of Danushka Gunathilaka.
Star legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga was seen bowling throughout the warm up but won’t return for today’s match after a groin strain in the first ODI.
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, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
June 14: Australia won by two wickets (DLS)
June 16: Sri Lanka won by 26 runs (DLS)
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: Australia A won by 68 runs
June 21-24: four-day match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota