SYDNEY: Josh Hazlewood took 4-12 on his return from a long injury layoff as world champions Australia began the post-Justin Langer era with a comfortable 20-run T20 victory over Sri Lanka in Sydney on Friday.
Langer was always going to miss the five-match series, opting to rest after a long stint on the road, but his shock resignation last weekend cast a shadow over the lead up.
With interim coach Andrew McDonald at the helm, Australia were restricted to 149 for nine in their first T20 since winning the World Cup in November.
But top-class bowling from Hazlewood, Pat Cummins (1-32) and Adam Zampa (3-18) denied the visitors, who were chasing 143 to win after one over was lost to rain.
Sri Lanka made a slow start with Mitchell Starc bowling a maiden to open before Hazlewood, in his first match since the opening Ashes Test against England in December, pounced.
He dismissed Danushka Gunathilaka for one, ruining the opener’s return after a ban for breaching Covid-19 rules during a tour of England last June.
Avishka Fernando smashed a towering six off Cummins but he was tempted into another big hit off the next ball and skied it to Matthew Wade.
Struggling at 37 for two off eight overs, Pathum Nissanka (36) and Charith Asalanka (16) plundered 15 off the ninth over from Starc to haul them back into contention before Zampa removed both in the space of three balls.
It swung the momentum back in Australia’s favour and Sri Lanka never recovered with Wanindu Hasaranga (13) and Dinesh Chandimal (25 not out) the only other batsmen to reach double figures as they ended on 122 for eight.
Earlier, Ben McDermott hit 53 for Australia after Shanaka won the toss and sent them into bat.
McDermott, in the side for David Warner who is being rested ahead of Australia’s upcoming tour to Pakistan, started to wind up in the fifth over, crunching the first six of the day off Hasaranga.
But the world’s number one T20 bowler worked his magic four balls later with a googly to break the opening partnership and bowl Finch for eight.
Debutant Josh Inglis joined McDermott before light rain forced a 29-minute delay.
When they returned McDermott blasted a huge six off Shanaka to pass his previous high score of 35 in his 18th international, steering Australia to 75 for one at the halfway mark before Sri Lanka got back in the game.
Inglis (23) departed to Chamika Karunaratne and Glenn Maxwell only lasted five balls, caught off Hasaranga going for a big hit.
Score Board
Sri Lanka won the toss
Australia Innings
Finch (c) b de Silva 8
McDermott lbw b Karunaratne 53
Inglis b Karunaratne 23
Maxwell c Karunaratne b Silva 7
Smith b de Silva 9
Stoinis b B Fernando 30
Wade † c Shanaka b Fernando 4
Cummins c Karunaratne b Chameera 2
Starc b Chameera 1
Zampa not out 2
Hazlewood not out 2
Extras:(lb 4, w 4) 8
Total: (20 Ov, RR: 7.45) 149/9
Fall:1-30, 2-80,3-90, 4-105, 5-107, 14.2 ov,6-141,17.3 ov,7-141, 17.4 ov, 8-144,18.3 ov,9-145, 18.5 ov
Bowling: Dushmantha Chameera 4-0-38-2 Binura Fernando 4-0-12-2 Maheesh Theekshana 3-0-27-0 Hasaranga 4-0-38-3 Chamika Karunaratne
4-0-22-2 Dasun Shanaka 1-0-8-0
Sri Lanka Innings (Target: 150 runs)
Nissanka c Starc b Zampa 36
Gunathilaka c Stoinis b Hazlewood 1
Fernando c †Wade b Cummins 6
Asalanka c Smith b Zampa 16
de Silva c Smith b Zampa 13
Shanaka (c) c Finch b Hazlewood 7
Chandimal † not out 25
Karunaratne c & b Hazlewood 0
Chameera c McDermott b Hazlewood 5
Fernando not out 2
Extras: (b 4, lb 3, w 4) 11
Total: (19 Ov, RR: 6.42) 122/8
Did not bat: Maheesh Theekshana
Fall: 1-3, 2-21, 3-64, 4-64,5-89,6-89,7-90,8-104
Bowling: Mitchell Starc 4-0-41-0 Josh Hazlewood 4-0-12-4 Pat Cummins 4-0-32-1,Marcus Stoinis 3-0-12-0 Adam Zampa 4-0-18-3
Result: Australia won by 20 runs (D/L method)
Man of the match: Adam Zampa (AUS)
Umpires: Sam Nogajski, Shawn Craig