Commonwealth Bank Series, 2011-12
Wisden's review of the third match, Australia v Sri Lanka, Commonwealth Bank Series, 2011-12
Jesse Hogan
15-Apr-2013
At Perth, February 10, 2012 (day/night). Australia won by five runs. Australia 4pts. Toss: Sri Lanka.
A year earlier Clarke had been booed by Australian fans for batting too slowly in the one-day series against England. Now, in a game full of wasted starts, his careful 57 off 88 deliveries allowed Australia - boosted by McKay's run-a-ball 25 - to cobble together a total they just about managed to defend. Chasing 232, Sri Lanka lost wickets regularly and looked out of it at 180 for nine, only for Mathews to find a deft balance between scoring runs and occasionally trusting last man Prasad with the strike. When Starc began the final over, Sri Lanka needed 18. Mathews hit the first two balls
for four and six to spread panic among the crowd, if not necessarily the Australian players. Two singles followed but, with six needed, Mathews was unable to clear Christian at long-on - a failure which made Clarke's innings look perfectly judged rather than a candidate for more catcalls.
Man of the Match: M. J. Clarke.
Attendance: 13,085.
Attendance: 13,085.