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

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka led 2-1 on Sunday as they secured a six-wicket win over Australia in the third One Day International thanks to a brilliant Pathum Nissanka century.
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 win in the five-match series.
Maxwell beat Niroshan Dickwella for 25 but Nissanka and Kusal Mendis crushed the injury-depleted Australian attack of Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson and Matthew Kuhnemann.
Mendis retired injured unbeaten on 87 and was replaced by Dhananjaya de Silva who had 25, but Nissanka hung on until almost the end, catching Richardson for 137 from 147 balls.
Richardson then beat captain Dasun Shanaka for a duck, but Charith Asalanka – with an icy six in the penultimate off Hazlewood – and Chamika Karunaratne saw Sri Lanka home.
Earlier Australia braved an onslaught from Sri Lanka to go 291-6 in their 50 overs after being asked to beat first.
Fly-half David Warner went for nine in the third, edging a bouncer from Dushmantha Chameera to slender-legged Maheesh Theekshana.
Returning from injury, Mitchell Marsh struggled to start and went on 10 of 23 deliveries, caught in cover by Mendis after a slower delivery from Dunith Wellalage.
Marnus Labuschagne came in at number four ahead of Head and he and Aaron Finch added 69 before Labuschagne was baffled by Niroshan Dickwella off Jeffrey Vandersay for 29.
Two overs later, Vandersay pocketed Finch as well, with the Australia captain edging the spinner to a dive from Silva after making it 62 from 85.
Head and Alex Carey added 72 points before de Silva pinned Carey’s front leg on the front cushion trying to sweep, after making a quick 49-for-52 delivery.
Maxwell did some damage, smashing 33 from 18 before handing Vandersay his third wicket, slotting the spinner into the hands of Wellalage who was returning from midwicket.
But Head stood firm, reaching his half-century and crushing Wellalage for three sixes in the penultimate and finishing 70 paces from 65 deliveries, with Cameron Green unbeaten on 15.
Vandersay finished with numbers of 3 for 49.
Already missing Marcus Stoinis, Kane Richardson and Mitchell Starc, Australia dropped Steve Smith after the batsman suffered a left quad injury in Thursday’s 26-point loss at Pallekele.
Marsh, however, returned to the side, as did Green and Richardson, while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Swepson were left out. Spinner Kuhnemann replaced Ashton Agar.
The hosts were once again without key all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who picked up a groin injury in the opener while Dickwella came on for Danushka Gunathilaka.