Aaron Finch speaks. “I thought we were a touch short with the new ball. They have great players who can take the game away so quickly. It’s tough, you want to hit the top of the off-stump but when they are hitting balls off there you have to change up and we didn’t quickly enough early. It was nice for Maxwell to have that long boundary. It was tough with the short boundary at Taunton; players back themselves to take him on. So it was nice here being able to bowl properly, having that real estate. In each game we have improved in the middle overs. The way we dragged it back was really impressive. Then Starcy, as soon as he gets a sniff of a new batsman he is all over them. The next game we have is a Trent Bridge so we have to assess if we can get ten overs out of a part-time option otherwise you have to go with an all-round option to bowl with Maxwell. We have played some really good cricket in patches but with plenty of room to improve, which is a positive.”

Dimuth Karunaratne speaks. “It is a pretty good wicket. We thought there would be some seam movement but it was a good batting track. We bowled well in the first 25 overs but then Finch and Smith batted really well. We fought back strongly but it wasn’t enough. We got a good start with myself and Kusal but we couldn’t capitalise and keep the momentum on. They are class bowlers but we’ve played against them for a long time and know what they’re going to do. We need to keep a plan with what to do in those periods. That’s what is missing. We’ve lost a couple of matches due to the rain but we need to win a couple of matches against the big sides and if we can do that we can make the top four. We want to get into the semi-finals.”

Aaron Finch is player of the match. Talking about his 153, he paid a lot of credit to Steve Smith for helping him get through the gears in their big stand and Glenn Maxwell for his hitting leading into the death. We’ll hear from him again in a moment when his captains’ hat is on. It was a fantastic knock from the skipper.

Australia did that well. From 115/0, Sri Lanka lost 10/132. How? The usual way in a World Cup fixture: Mitch Starc. After knocking over Kusal Perera (52), the run rate slumped for Sri Lanka after their rapid 87-0 start in the first ten overs. All four of Australia’s quicks battled to begin but fought back well to share the ten wickets between them. Maxwell, the fifth bowler, was excellent as well getting through his ten overs giving up just 46 runs. Aaron Finch will be very happy with that, especially given they don’t have access to Marcus Stoinis at the moment. Down to the post-game presentations. Back in a tick with Aaron Finch and co.

Cummins (2/38) gets the tenth and that’s the game! Pradeep backs away and gets an edge at last. Australia win, the two points taking them to the top of the ladder.

45th over: Sri Lanka 246-9 (Dhananjaya 15, Pradeep 0) Target 335 Thinking on my feet, this is the problem with using Net Run Rate as a tiebreak decider. You don’t see this kind of trash cricket if, say, sixes struck (or something like that) split the teams. Anyway. Richardson bowls a wide then finds his line, Dhananjaya’s scoop falling an inch short of Behrendorff. But they go upstairs to check it anyway, the TV umpire taking waaay too long to confirm what everyone knew after one replay: it’s NOT OUT. He plays the very same trick shot from the next ball but clears Benrendorff’s right hand on the edge of the circle for four. He gives Pradeep the strike for one ball after hacking into midwicket. Gross. Pradeep backs away again, swinging and missing. These are minutes of our lives we are never getting back. I know Matthew Engel hates NRR. Why would I disagree with him?

44th over: Sri Lanka 240-9 (Dhananjaya 10, Pradeep 0) Target 335 Gosh, make it stop. Dhananjaya repeats the pattern of the previous over, denying Cummins a crack at Pradeep until the penultimate ball of the over. The No11 backs away so far that he can’t reach a ball that misses off stump by a coat of varnish, repeating that in response to the final ball, sailing over middle stump by about six inches. Yuk.

43rd over: Sri Lanka 238-9 (Dhananjaya 9, Pradeep 0) Target 335 For what little it matters to Net Run Rate in the unlikely event that they can bat out the overs, Dhananjaya is protecting Pradeep from the strike when picking out sweepers. He gets one chance at the No11 to finish the game (and his spell with a fifth wicket but it isn’t to be), but the delivery is steered to third man. They elect not to take the single so that Dhananjaya keeps the strike. Grim cricket. He finishes with 4/55.

42nd over: Sri Lanka 237-9 (Dhananjaya 8, Pradeep 0) Target 335 Pradeep keeps out two Richardson yorkers, extending the game by an over. They have lost 6/32.

Richardson gets himself a third. Malinga, wanting nothing to do with the pace, spoons the easiest of chances to Khawaja at cover. Start the car.

41st over: Sri Lanka 237-8 (Dhananjaya 8, Malinga 1) Target 335 I neglected to mention in the previous Starc over that he was actually on a hat-trick. He’s in here now looking for a fifth, attacking the stumps of Dhananjaya who is just able to keep out the yorkers and low full tosses. Not to be, but he has one to come.

Brendon McCullum makes a very good point on the TV commentary: why didn’t they go after Glenn Maxwell, Australia’s fifth bowler, when they were going so nicely earlier in the innings? It’s as though they got to ten overs and put the anchor down. It made no sense at the time and even less now that the chase is in ruins.

“Typically shabby Australian spoil-sportery denying a much-needed underdog victory,” says a frustrated Brian Withington. “For a team supposedly not exactly firing on full cylinders, it’s looking rather ominous for the opposition if they ever get their act together.”

Something like that. I didn’t agree with this view until today but I nearly do now.

Richardson ends his over with a short ball that Udana tries to smack back over his head with the horizontal bat, but he isn’t getting it over Aaron Finch running backwards with the flight from mid-off to take the straightforward chance over his head. The Australian captain throws a smiling thumbs up to his fans in the OSC Stand after taking the chance. Sri Lanka are floudering and Australia know it.

40th over: Sri Lanka 236-8 (Dhananjaya 8) Target 335

39th over: Sri Lanka 229-7 (Dhananjaya 8, Udana 2) Target 335 Dhananjaya ends the successful Starc over with a delightful drive down the ground for four.

With Mendis’ wicket goes any realistic hope for Sri Lanka, edging a ball angled across him that he was trying to whack into the legside. Starc has four, making 13 for the World Cup. What an amazing record he has in these tournaments.

38th over: Sri Lanka 222-6 (Mendis 30, Dhananjaya 3) Target 335 Dhanahjaya de Silva is the new man, who can do plenty of damage with the blade, as Australia well know. Behrendorff is turned to by Finch, once again using the fall of A wickets to swing a change and squeeze out a frugal over. It works: five from it.

Huge, huge, huge game tomorrow. I’m off to Manchester tonight. Can’t wait.

Six and out! First ball at the crease, Perera makes good enough contact to clear the rope at fine leg. But two balls later, trying to smash him over mid-on, he fails to clear Warner on the 30m circle, who takes a good catch moving to his right. That makes two in the over for Starc, leaving Sri Lanka in serious trouble.

37th over: Sri Lanka 217-6 (Mendis 28) Target 335

Starc hits the stumps once again! How often do we see it? To the new man, the left-handed Siriwardana, Starc angles in at pace and hits leg stump, the ball finding the woodward via his back pad. They’re in for the kill now.

36th over: Sri Lanka 208-4 (Mendis 27, Siriwardana 3) Target 335 Siriwardana is off the mark with a couple to midwicket to get off the mark, ending Cummins’ first over back. An important one that saw the end of Angelo Mathews. Once again a Finch bowling change brings a big reward.

Mathews out hooking! Back into the attack, Cummins’ bumper isn’t online but the shot is no good, helped into the waiting hands of Carey. Just as it was the last time Mendis hit a straight six, it has been followed the next over by his partner getting out caught behind. Sri Lanka are wobbling. They need a hero.

35th over: Sri Lanka 204-3 (Mendis 26, Mathews 9) Target 335 Starc is back and MENDIS LOVES IT! What a shot to begin, stepping into a full ball and smashing him back over his head for SIX! After taking ownership early in the over, Mathews does the same to finish with a powerful pull into the gap behind squre for four. 11 off it all up. Could this be the start of something? Sri Lanka still need 8.8 an over.

34th over: Sri Lanka 193-3 (Mendis 19, Mathews 5) Target 335 Glenn Maxwell: 10-0-46-0. Can’t ask for much more than that our of your fifth bowler; just the three singles from this final over. Clarke is discussing his progress in the national sides. “I don’t think he and Steve Smith saw eye to eye when he was captain.”

Meanwhile at the other game, Afghanistan are continuing to collapse.

33rd over: Sri Lanka 190-3 (Mendis 17, Mathews 4) Target 335 Karunaratne departs with Sri Lanka now needing 8.35 an over to win. After such a brisk start, he fell on 97 from 108 balls, sorted out after a period where Australia slowed the game down nicely. He will have to wait for his maiden ODI ton. Angelo Mathews is the new man to the middle and is away first ball with a lovely on-driven four! As you do. But Richardson uses the short ball well, twice bumping the new man with accurate bouncers and squeezing out four dots to end his successful over.

I Am Australian is playing over here between overs. Such a powerful and inclusive song during in the 1990s, it would be written off as virtue signalling nowadays.

Karunaratne has gifted Maxwell the easiest of chances in the gully! The cut was probably on but he got too cute, paying the price just three runs short of what would have been a wonderful World Cup ton.

32nd over: Sri Lanka 186-2 (Karunaratne 97, Mendis 17) Target 335 That’s one way! What is looking like another limp over for the chasing side – 17 runs from the previous 4.5 overs – ends with a BIG SIX over Maxwell’s head! The Sri Lankan gun was down the track waiting for the off-break, getting to the pitch and nailing it.

31st over: Sri Lanka 178-2 (Karunaratne 96, Mendis 10) Target 335 There is a lot to like about Richardson, such a resilient cricketer. Justin Langer said that a year ago he didn’t think the South Australian had the “bottle” for international cricket. Now, he’s being turned to at a clutch time. Four dots and two singles make it a very good over, Mendis not far away from gifting his wicket with a miscued hook. The squeeze is on and Sri Lanka need to find a way out of it.

30th over: Sri Lanka 176-2 (Karunaratne 95, Mendis 9) Target 335 Clever bowling from Maxwell, cramping up both batsmen by attacking the stumps. Finch is throwing it around, milking overs out in spells of two or three overs. 20 overs remain and Sri Lanka need just on eight an over to pull off a massive win.

29th over: Sri Lanka 173-2 (Karunaratne 93, Mendis 8) Target 335 Richardson has to follow the example of Behrendorff, the other seamer who took some tap from the opening pair during the opening power play. He’ll be happy with this re-start, five runs taken but no boundary balls. Karunaratne is into the 90s. Mark Nicholas and Michael Clarke note that Australia also went through a quiet period in their innings and that’s true. They were 110 at the halfway mark, for what it’s worth.

28th over: Sri Lanka 168-2 (Karunaratne 89, Mendis 7) Target 335 Behrendorff has done his job in this his second spell, yet to give up a boundary and collecting the wicket of Thirimanne. Karunaratne is trying to lift the tempo against him but there is nothing there for it, missing a pre-meditated hoick to the legside. The rate required is most of of the way to eight an over now.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan are in strife at Cardiff, South Africa taking a fifth wicket.

27th over: Sri Lanka 159-2 (Karunaratne 83, Mendis 4) Target 335 Just 24 from the last five overs as these two work their way into it, Cummins through his fifth with four singles taken to the fielders at fine leg and third man. He won’t mind that. Kumar Sangakkara notes that Sri Lanka are 40 runs ahead of where Australia were at the same stage of the innings but it doesn’t quite feel like that right now.

“Speaking as a disinterested England supporter,” emails Brian Withington, “an improbable Sri Lanka win today and Pakistan squeaking a thriller tomorrow would be simply marvellous for the dynamic of the tournament. Just saying.”

Agreed. A couple of underdog wins would do a lot of good in terms of setting up a scrap in the final week of round-robin games. This a potential downside of a long group stage, of course – dead rubbers (see 1996). But we’re not there yet.

26th over: Sri Lanka 159-2 (Karunaratne 83, Mendis 4) Target 335 Karunaratne is playing like a man who knows he needs to make this a very big ton, happy to defend with patience after a few singles are taken from Behrendorff. If he throws it away this game will change in an instant. A tough balance to strike in a big chase.

25th over: Sri Lanka 156-2 (Karunaratne 82, Mendis 2) Target 335 Fairly handy time for Finch to bring Cummins back, who only bowled three overs earlier today. He sends one down the legside to Mendis but other than that, keeps him honest with an set full of dots banged in short of a length at genuine pace.

“You can’t be a cricket fan and not like statistics,” writes Simon McMahon in reference to Kusal Perera’s 153 and calculations that had it dubbed the best ever. “My favourite definition of the appeal of the cricket actually came from a previous OBO and is along the lines of ‘basically all day drinking, with statistics’, which is right up there alongside ‘organised loafing’. The fact that half of all statistics are made up, and the other 60% just inaccurate, is neither here nor there.”

24th over: Sri Lanka 154-2 (Karunaratne 82, Mendis 1) Target 335 Kusal Mendis is a name that prompts respect (and probably fear) in the Australian camp after his heroics three years ago. He’s off the mark with one to backward square first ball, completing Behrendorff’s successful over; Thirimanne his first World Cup scalp.

How disappointing for Sri Lanka. After copping a whack to the arm then responding with a lavish boundary through point, Thirimanne tries to play a glide from way too close to his body, edging to Carey who pouches an easy chance.

23rd over: Sri Lanka 145-1 (Karunaratne 81, Thirimanne 10) Target 335 Maxwell finds the inside edge of Karunaratne to begin, which could easily have been the end of his day. Not to be. But again, with only four runs taken, the degree of difficulty is slowly rising up for Sri Lanka. Maxwell only has three more to bowl.

“I wonder if there is a sport anywhere where the standards have improved so dramatically over the past decade?” asks Gideon Cleary. “I’m talking about the fielding, across every team, the catching them tossing up because you were crossing over the rope was a once a season happening, now it’s every power-play. I watch cricket in London Fields and the only thing that stops a cover drive is either a pedigree toy dog or if it hits the bag that said dog is carried around in.”

Today not the best for a few tins in London Fields (too cold), but also something I also enjoy doing when the sun is shining. To your actual point: I completely agree. T20 has brought plenty to our sport. Something, something, Hundred, something.

22nd over: Sri Lanka 141-1 (Karunaratne 79, Thirimanne 8) Target 335 This is just tilting back Australia’s way. Behrendorff has found his range after being roughed up a bit earlier, two singles to the sweepers on the off side the only runs on offer here. The last five overs have brought 20 runs, the required rate now above seven.

“I know Australia are going to win this game and go top,” begins Andy Bradshaw, frustratedly, I assume. “But their batting has to be a real worry. 335 after that start is pretty disappointing and a better team than Sri Lanka should be able to chase it down, unless Starc has a special day.”

Debatable. Nothing wrong with 335. And sure, they should have got to 350. Did you see the death bowling, though? It was quite outstanding. Important to note.

21st over: Sri Lanka 139-1 (Karunaratne 78, Thirimanne 7) Target 335 Finch may as well bowl Maxwell out here, zipping through his sixth set with just four singles taken. He’s bowled six overs now for 28 runs. Perfectly acceptable.

20th over: Sri Lanka 135-1 (Karunaratne 76, Thirimanne 5) Target 335 Good from Finch to get Behrendorff back while this new partnership builds having copped some serious tap from his second and third overs during the opening power play when Perera and Karunaratne were carving it up. Four off this with three dots can only help his confidence. He has to give his captain six more dependable overs.

“Dammit,” emails Jonathan Salisbury, for mozzing Perera moments before he fell. The commentator curse works on the OBO as well. On this, I stitched up Aaron Finch a beauty on radio earlier, rattling off all the player he was about to overtake just as he was dismissed. I’ve burned Mitch Marsh DOZENS of times like this.

19th over: Sri Lanka 131-1 (Karunaratne 73, Thirimanne 4) Target 335 Maxwell is into his fifth over now, which is good news for Aaron Finch. He’s keeping them relatively quiet, happy to pluck off singles. Oh, that’s until the final delivery when he gives just enough width to Karunaratne, who uses it to steer the off-spinner down to the third man rope. Sri Lanka require 6.58 an over from here.

18th over: Sri Lanka 123-1 (Karunaratne 67, Thirimanne 2) Target 335 Very good captaincy from Finch to get his main man Starc back on after Maxwell slowed the run rate somewhat. He’s sticking with him here after drinks Karunaratne, playing him carefully then nearly running himself out! Khawaja had to run him out there! Racing in from midwicket, the Aussie No3 had plenty of time to collect and underarm from about eight minutes but he’s missed. Michael Clarke notes the medical tape on Khawaja’s hand and says that “so many players” in the Australian team have it on their fingers. “It makes such a difference when trying to throw.”

17th over: Sri Lanka 122-1 (Karunaratne 66, Thirimanne 2) Target 335 Top over from Maxwell to take Australia to drinks in better shape, just two singles given as the new man Thirimanne finds his feet.

16th over: Sri Lanka 120-1 (Karunaratne 65, Thirimanne 1) Target 335 As usual, there is confusion when Thirimanne/Thirimanna is batting, his name appearing both ways depending on where you wish to look. He’s off the mark first ball with a glance, Karunaratne then finishing the successful Starc over with four off through about second slip. It’s not quite on purpose but it does the job. I’m moving inside at drinks – it’s very cold all of a sudden.

Starc as his best. It takes only three balls to send down his most dangerous delivery, swinging a full ball through the gate of Perera who was trying to pop him over midwicket. Lovely delivery; not the best shot. At last, Australia has one.

15th over: Sri Lanka 112-0 (Karunaratne 58, K Perera 52) Target 335 With such a great start, this pair can now build the innings without any further risks for the time being. Six taken here from Maxwell, all along the carpet. Very good batting.

“Hi Adam.” Hi Jonathan Salisbury. “By the time you get this he’ll probably be out but has anyone mentioned his 153* in the Test at Durban. The definition of ‘in the zone’, and maybe here?”

Not wrong. Yes, in case this passed anyone in the cricket world by, earlier this year Perera did play the innings that one mathmetician adjudged the best of all time.

14th over: Sri Lanka 106-0 (Karunaratne 54, K Perera 50) Target 335 Starc is back to replace Kane Richardson from the Vauxhall End, giving up four singles to the sweepers, the last of those a yorker that Perera does well to dig out… moving his half-century in the process! He’s faced just 33 balls to get there. “Sri Lanka couldn’t have wished for a better start,” observes Mark Nicholas on telly.

13th over: Sri Lanka 102-0 (Karunaratne 52, K Perera 48) Target 335 The 100 is up and the fans are very much up and about again! They are lucky to progress without losing their captain, who is pinned on the back pad by Maxwell but because they have blown their review they can’t do anything about it after Richard Illingworth says no. The TV confirms that the decision would have been overturned. Oh dear.

Needless to say, this isn’t dwelled on by the TV commentary (G’day, Mikey Holding, if you’re reading). Brian Withington is straight into my inbox on that point. “Where’s Michael Holding when you need an umpiring decision dissected in the commentary box?” [Jim Maxwell] Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. [/Jim Maxwell]

12th over: Sri Lanka 98-0 (Karunaratne 50, K Perera 46) Target 335 The captain moves to his half-century from 45 balls with his seventh boundary, creaming Richardson through midwicket. Looking to my right, there are quite a few neutral fans in today by the looks and they are ALL on their feet and ALL with Sri Lanka. Great stuff. This is what a World Cup is all about: loud and brilliant.

“Don’t know about moving north from the Oval,” writes Peter Rowntree. “Took a squint at the weather forecast for Arundel the other night, because of the Sussex v Gloucestershire game, and unbelievably the weather forecast looks good for about a week. Lovely setting for cricket as well.” Was always going to be so.

11th over: Sri Lanka 91-0 (Karunaratne 46, K Perera 43) Target 335 With the field out – four men permitted outside the circle until the end of the 40th – Maxwell is brought straight on by Finch. His overs are very important for Finch now without another all-rounder – he has to do the job. It’s a very good start from him too, sending one down leg but other than that, ripping his accurate off-breaks, keeping them quiet after such a powerful end to the power play.

10th over: Sri Lanka 87-0 (Karunaratne 44, K Perera 42) Target 335 Before the appeal, Perera had the pro Sri Lankan crowd on their feet once more when pulling a ball across the line to the midwicket boundary. Have that! Richardson isn’t quite quick enough to drop short unless it is right at the badge of the helmet. 87 from the power play. The perfect way to take on a big chase. They’re a big shout now.

NOT OUT! The technology – ultraedge – shows nothing. Australia lose their review!

HAS RICHARDSON FOUND PERERA’S OUTSIDE EDGE? Umpire Dar says no, Finch says yes. The latter sends it upstairs to find out for sure. Stand by.