MAXI. INGLIS SEE AUSSIES HOME BUT SELECTION QUESTIONS REMAIN AS AGAR EXPERIMENT FALLS...
0Maxi. Inglis see Aussies home but selection questions remain as Agar experiment falls flat
On the back of a mature innings from Glenn Maxwell and some more promise from Josh Inglis. Australia “flexed their muscles” to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets. Set 140 for victory. Sri Lanka could sniff an upset when Ashton Agar — the subject of much debate throughout the match — top edged a pull shot. as Australia slumped to 3 49. But hometown hero Maxwell (48 not out off 39) and Josh Inglis (40 off 20) steadied the ship. Maxwell brought up the winning runs with a powerful pull shot that raced to the long MCG square boundary to seal the victory with 11 balls remaining. The Melbourne Stars captain played a mature and patient innings as he watched Inglis time the living daylights off the ball. It was when the right hander edged a cutter behind that Maxwell took control. Up until then. debate had raged over Agar’s role in the team. The bowling all rounder returned against Sri Lanka in Canberra but unusually opened the batting. It didn’t work in the nation’s capital and it didn’t at the MCG either despite making a 31 ball 26. As the left hander struggled for timing and rhythm. his fellow new opener. big hitter Ben McDermott. failed to handle the pressure and weight of expectation of being the dominate batter. After a few close shaves between the wicket. he eventually fell for nine as he returned a catch to Maheesh Theekshana. Aaron Finch. who had earlier won the toss and elected to bat. then came and went just as quickly. The Australian captain made just two before top edging a pull shot off quick Lahiru Kumara. But his failure to get on top of the ball against the raw pace of Kumara was yet another worrying sign as Australia’s selectors attempt to find a solution for the fading powers of the once most destructive batsman in the world. “He should be opening.” cried former Australian opener Mark Waugh on Fox Cricket. repeating his calls for the skipper to return to the top of the order. Watch The Dettol T20 Series Australia vs Sri Lanka. Every Game Live & On Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now Sri Lanka was cruising along at 1 73 at the halfway mark. Then the wheels fell off. as Sri Lanka lost 6 12 in a 19 ball period to end their innings at 8 139. A 17 run final over as Chamika Karunaratne (14 off 7) and Jeffrey Vandersay (5 off 3) gave their side something to bowl at. The turning point came when Glenn Maxwell “outfoxed” Kusal Mendis to run the first drop out for 27 to leave Sri Lanka 2 76. Until that time. Mendis and opener Pathum Nissanka (46 off 40) had looked comfortable on a flat wicket. which turned from the outset. Watch The Dettol T20 Series Australia vs Sri Lanka. Every Game Live & On Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now While questions have been asked about why Agar is opening. there is no debate about his bowling. The left arm spinner followed up his tidy work in Canberra by taking 1 14. Jhye Richardson. who was one of two changes to the XI with Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc rested. was the pick of the bowlers taking 2 20. Kane Richardson’s expensive final over saw him finish with 2 44. while Adam Zampa enjoyed a successful return after being rested for the six wicket win in the third T20 by taking 1 26. READ MORE
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