MELBOURNE, Australia, Nov 1 (AP) — Australia beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets on Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to complete a lopsided three-match Twenty20 series victory.
Sri Lanka, sent into bat, scored 142-6 before Australia overtook that total with 145-3 with 14 balls to spare.
Australia won the first match in Adelaide by 134 runs and the second in Brisbane by nine wickets. David Warner, who was not dismissed in the three matches, won player of the series for his 217 runs, including an unbeaten 57 on Friday.
Warner scored 100 in Adelaide and 60 in Brisbane. On Friday he was dropped on 12.
Sri Lanka enjoyed a bright patch with three wickets through the middle overs, but never looked like causing an upset. Skipper Aaron Finch, who was dropped on 15, departed in the ninth over for 37 from 25 deliveries.
Steve Smith was caught at mid-wicket by Lakshan Sandakan off the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep for 13.
Ben McDermott, who came in when Glenn Maxwell stepped away to concentrate on his mental health, failed to take his opportunity at No. 4, trapped in front by Lasith Malinga for five. Ashton Turner was the other batsman at the crease at the end, making 22 from 15 deliveries.
Sri Lankan No. 3 Kusal Perera hit his team’s highest score of the series with 57 from 45 deliveries, including four fours and one six, before he holed out trying to push the run rate off Pat Cummins’ bowling.
Cummins was the best of the Australian bowlers with 2-23 from four overs, with Kane Richardson (2-25) and Mitchell Starc (2-32) also taking two wickets each.
Australia will host Pakistan in a three-match T20 series beginning Sunday in Sydney. It will be followed by a two-test series between the teams in Brisbane and Adelaide.
