Bowlers' day out at the Gabba

Stats highlights from a low-scoring game in Brisbane, which turned out to be the third-shortest completed ODI ever played in Australia

S Rajesh

18-Jan-2013

Clint McKay celebrates the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene, Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, Brisbane, January 18, 2013

Only twice have Australia been bowled out for less than 74 in one-day internationals: they were bowled out for 70 on two occasions, against England at Edgbaston in 1977, and against New Zealand in Adelaide in 1986. Both those scores, though, were in run-chases, which makes this Australia's lowest ODI total when batting first. In fact, it's the first time they have been bowled out for less than 100 when batting first in an ODI. (Click here for Australia's lowest ODI scores.)

Australia lost with 180 balls to spare, their largest ODI defeat in terms of balls remaining. Their previous-biggest was 142 balls, against South Africa in Centurion in 2009.

Nuwan Kulasekara's 5 for 22 is his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs, and it is also the best bowling figures for Sri Lanka against Australia. Lasith Malinga, Sanath Jayasuriya and Thisara Perera are the only other Sri Lankans to take a five-for in ODIs against Australia. Perera is the only other bowler to take a five-for in an ODI in Australia. Only three bowlers from the subcontinent have had better figures in an ODI in Australia.

Australia's top eight batsmen all scored less than 10, which is a first for Australia and the third such instance in all ODIs. The two previous teams who met with this fate are Canada and Zimbabwe. In all three cases, Sri Lanka were the bowling team.

Australia lost their ninth wicket at 40, the sixth-lowest score at which a team has lost nine. Four of the previous five were by Canada or Zimbabwe. The lowest score at which nine wickets have fallen is 26, by Pakistan against West Indies in Cape Town.

Sixteen wickets fell for 149 runs in the match, an average of 9.31 runs per wicket. It's the lowest average in a completed ODI in Australia, and the eighth-lowest in all completed ODIs.

Out of 14 players who batted in the top seven for each team, 11 were dismissed for single-digit scores, which equals the ODI record: the only previous such instance was in the semi-final of the 1975 World Cup between England and Australia.

The entire match lasted 280 deliveries (46.4 overs), the third-lowest in an ODI in Australia. The quickest finish was also at the Gabba, in a match between Pakistan and West Indies 20 years ago: Pakistan were bundled out for 71 in 23.4 overs, and West Indies chased it down for the loss of one wicket in 19.2; the entire match lasted 43 overs.

Nuwan Kulasekara Sri Lanka Australia Australia vs Sri Lanka Sri Lanka tour of Australia

S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPNcricinfo. Follow him on Twitter