Jayawardene lifts Sri Lanka with a brilliant unbeaten 61
Glenn Maxwell swung and missed the last delivery from Thisara Perera as Sri Lanka won a thrilling rain affected Twenty20 international against Australia and the series 2-0 at the MCG under the Duckworth-Lewis method on Monday.Maxwell raised hopes of an Australian win with two cracking shots to the point boundary but with four required of the last ball which Perera pitches just outside the off stump, he failed to make contact with the bat as they ran for a single.
Australia failed to achieve the revised target of 122 (62 off 30 balls) being 60-2 after 10 overs when rain interrupted play after Sri Lanka had made 161-4 having been put into bat.
Shaun Marsh remained unbeaten on 47 off 40 balls with two boundaries and two sixes.
Skipper George Bailey (45) kept Australia in the hunt with some brilliant innovative strokes during a third wicket partnership of 86 off 61 balls with Marsh.
Despite some lusty blows from Maxwell, Thisara Perera conceded only a bye in his final delivery in which Australia needed four for victory.
Thisara Perera was adjudged man of the match for his 35 off 15 and 1 for 25 from three overs.
Earlier, a brilliant unbeaten half century by Mahela Jayawardene (61) lifted Sri Lanka to 161 for 4.
Jayawardene cracked three consecutive boundaries off the last over bowled by Ben Laughlin while Thisara Perera top edged the penultimate delivery for a six over fine leg as Sri Lanka finished the innings with a flourish.
Their unbroken fifth wicket partnership yielded 59 runs off just 28 balls as the last five overs produced 60 runs.
Thisara Perera's 15-ball unbeaten 35 contained three boundaries and two sixes while Jayawardene hit five boundaries and two sixes in his 45-ball 61 to help Sri Lanka make a formidable total.
Jayawardene held the innings together after Sri Lanka slumped to 39 for 3 by the seventh over repairing the damage initially with a partnership of 63 off 51 balls for the fourth wicket with Jeevan Mendis (25).
AUSTRALIA INNINGS
Glenn Maxwell cracks two consecutive boundaries with one ball remaining.
Shaun Marsh nearly hits a six with Kulasekera throwing it back into the field.
It is also declared a no ball for a waist-high delivery.
George Bailey goes after valiant knock of 45 off 36 balls holing out to Kushal Perera.
Thisara Perera bowling the final over.
Shaun Marsh slams Malinga's last ball over extra cover to set up a thrilling finale.
George Bailey has scooped Lasith Malinga to the fine leg fence and hoists him over square leg for consecutive boundaries.
Lasith Malinga back to the bowl the penultimate over of the match.
Australia are 104-2 after 14 overs chasing a rain revised target of 122 in 15 overs.
George Bailey begins the 13th over by thumping Nuwan Kulasekera to the long boundary.
Thisara Perera gives away 7 in the 12th over.
Shaun Marsh hits a flat six off Ajanta Mendis in the first over after the rain interval.
Australia have been set a revised target of 62 off 30 balls after a rain delay in the 2nd Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at MCG on Monday.
When rain interrupted play Australia required 102 off 60 balls with eight wickets in hand being 60 for 2 after 10 overs.
Sri Lanka's fifth wicket pair Mahela Jayawardene and Thisara Perera made 61 off the last five overs.
The covers have come on to the field and play suspended as it is raining heavily now at Melbourne.
Mahela Jayawardene is smiling as the rain comes down steadily at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as he feels that Sri Lanka are ahead on the Duckworth and Lewis score speaking during a commentary link up on the field.
Interestingly Sri Lanka were also 60-2 at the same stage.
Australia are 60-2 after 10 overs chasing a target of 162 in 2nd Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at the MCG on Monday.
George Bailey gets his first boundary scooping Ajanta Mendis over the keeper.
Akila Dananjaya has gone for 12 in his first over with Shaun Marsh smashing two consective boundaries including a six.
Australia have also failed to prosper in the opening Powerplay overs losing two for 28.
Ajanta Mendis strikes with his first delivery trapping Aaron Finch leg before in the 4th over with the batsman swinging and missing.
Shaun Marsh survives a confident leg before appeal and a run out attempt while Dilshan fails to hang on to a sharp chance from the left hander in an eventful 4th over bowled by Kulasekera.
Nuwan Kulasekara strikes with his third delivery as David Warner fails to put him away to leg only lobbing a simple catch to Thisara Perera at mid off.Aaron Finch hits the first boundary of the Australian innings square cutting Kulalasekera in the second over.
David Warner cuts Dilshan through cover for the first boundary of the Australian in the first over from Dilshan which goes for 9.
Tillakaratne Dilshan opens the attack Australia begin chasing target of 162 in 2nd Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at the MCG on Monday.
SRI LANKA INNINGS
Thisara Perera shuffles across and chips Faulkner to the fine leg fence for his third boundary in the 19th over.
Sri Lanka are 141-4 after 19 overs in the second Twenty20 international against Australia after being put into bat at the MCG on Monday.
Thisara Perera is on song standing tall and whipping Starc to the long off boundary.
Thisara Perera opens his account by hammering Doherty to the long off boundary and hits a huge six off Faulkner in the next over.
Jeevan Mendis goes after making 25 off 24 balls holing out to Faulkner in the deep off Doherty after a breezy fourth wicket stand of 63 off 51 balls with Jayawardene.
Mahela Jayawardene has hit his second six off Laughlin and then survives a run out chance in an eventful 15th over.
The 50 partnership for the fourth wicket between Jayawardene and Mendis comes in just 41 balls.
Jeevan Mendis is on fire now cracking two consecutive boundaries off Doherty to backward square leg and mid wicket which nearly goes for a six.
Mahela Jayawardene cuts Laughlin for his second boundary in the 13th over as his partnership with Jeevan Mendis for the fourth wicket blossoms.
Mahela Jayawardene hits the first six of the match when he sends Glenn Maxwell sailing into the stands in the 12th over.
Jeevan Mendis gets his first boundary jabbing Mitchell Starc past the the keeper in the 11th over.
Runs have dried up for Sri Lanka with Jeevan Mendis playing down four dot balls in the 10th over bowled by Xavier Doherty.
Mahela Jayawardene sweeps Xavier Doherty to fine leg for his first boundary in the 8th over.
Sri Lanka are committing hara kiri losing their third wicket as Kushal Perera gives the charge to spinner Glenn Maxwell only skying to George Bailey who takes a well judged catch running back.
Kushal Perera was looking in good nick having made 15 off 17 balls with three boundaries.
Dinesh Chandimal hits a lovely cover drive off Ben Laughlin but scoops a catch to George Bailey at midoff two balls later attempting to heave him out of the ground.
Kushal Perera has smacked three boundaries off Mitchell Starc in the fourth over.
Kushal begins the assault by slamming Starc over his head, followed by an exquisite cover drive and pull to square leg.
Tillakaratne Dilshan glances James Faulkner to fine leg for the first boundary of the match but is bowled off an inside edge as he attempt to swing him to midwicket after making 6 off 10 balls.
Mitchell Starc bowls 3 wides in his opening over.
Tillakaratne Dilshan is dropped in the second ball of the match in the deep by Ben Laughlin at mid on off Glenn Maxwell.
Australia have won the toss and bowl in the second and final Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.
Sri Lanka will be aiming to finish their long tour of Australia on a high.
Australia are aiming to level the T20 series against top-ranked Sri Lanka who won in Sydney by five wickets.
Melbourne has been the scene of their worst ever Test and ODI defeats for Sri Lanka.
Both teams have made one change each.
James Faulkner comes in for Australia at the expense Ben Cutting, while young Akila Dananjaya replaces the injured Lahiru Thirimanne in the Sri Lanka line-up as the tourists go in with a three-pronged spin attack.
"I think it will be a little bit flatter in Melbourne," said Glenn Maxwell, who has played plenty of T20 at the MCG with the Melbourne Stars on the eve of the match. "I think it will be a lot more consistent and there will be a lot more runs scored."
"I think we're a very good unit when it comes to the one-day and T20, but I wouldn't say that it is at the expense of Test cricket," said Angelo Mathews after the win at SCG.
Teams
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, George Bailey (captain), Adam Voges, Matthew Wade (wk), Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty, Ben Laughlin.
Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kushal Perera, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Angelo Mathews (captain), Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Akila Dananjaya.
