Pathum Nissanka stars as Sri Lanka cruise past Australia in third ODI

Set a tricky 292 to win after a Travis Head 70, the hosts won comfortably with nine balls to spare in Colombo, in their second straight victory in the five-match series. Maxwell bowled Niroshan Dickwella for 25 but Nissanka and Kusal Mendis ground down the injury-depleted Australian attack of Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson and Matthew Kuhnemann. Mendis retired hurt unbeaten on 87 and was replaced by Dhananjaya de Silva who made 25, but Nissanka clung on until almost the end, caught off Richardson for 137 off 147 balls.

Richardson then bowled captain Dasun Shanaka for a duck, but Charith Asalanka -- with an ice-cold six in the penultimate over off Hazlewood -- and Chamika Karunaratne saw Sri Lanka home. Earlier Australia braved a spin onslaught by Sri Lanka to reach 291-6 in their 50 overs after being invited to bat first. Opener David Warner went for nine in the third over, top-edging a Dushmantha Chameera bouncer to Maheesh Theekshana at fine leg.

Back from injury, Mitchell Marsh struggled to get going and departed for 10 off 23 deliveries, caught at cover by Mendis after a slower delivery by Dunith Wellalage. Marnus Labuschagne came in at number four ahead of Head and he and Aaron Finch added 69 before Labuschagne was stumped by Niroshan Dickwella off Jeffrey Vandersay for 29. Two overs later, Vandersay bagged Finch too, with the Australian captain edging the spinner to a diving de Silva at slip having made 62 off 85.