Man-of-the-match Adam Zampa has played through back spasms in a five-wicket defeat of Sri Lanka that breathed life into Australia’s ailing World Cup campaign.
The win in Lucknow gives Australia some room to move after they dropped their first two matches and risked crashing out of contention for the knockout stage with another loss.
If he had not have been able to pass a fitness test prior to the game, Australia would have been forced to play only Glenn Maxwell as their sole specialist spinner after they replaced the injured Ashton Agar with Marnus Labuschagne in the squad on the eve of the tournament.
Things didn’t always come easily for Australia, who lost the toss and struggled to contain Kusal Perera (78) and Pathum Nissanka (61) during a 125-run opening partnership.
Chasing 210 after bowling Sri Lanka out, Australia’s recent batting issues threatened to resurface when David Warner (11) and Steve Smith (0) fell in the same Dilshan Madushanka over.
But ultimately, the 9-52 Sri Lankan collapse triggered by Zampa (4-47) and Pat Cummins (2-32), followed by half-centuries for Josh Inglis – a career-best ODI knock of 58 from 59 balls, and Mitchell Marsh, separated the sides.
Criticised for his form to begin the tournament, Zampa said he still had room for improvement once he returned to peak physical condition.
“I did a gym session a couple of nights ago and I don’t know if you’ve ever had a back spasm, but I was worse for wear the last couple of days. I had to do a fitness test before the game,” said Zampa, who received treatment from physiotherapists throughout the innings in the field.
“I felt like adrenaline was going to get me through and a bit of Panadeine Forte. So yeah, it was a tough one to get through today, but (it was) one of those random ones that will wear off in the next day or so.”
Zampa had been going through a lean stretch in form recently but bounced back to his best with four wickets after copping some tap in his first three-over spell.
“I feel like I’m a good critic of myself and I feel like I could be doing better but it’s nice to be on the better end of the result,” he said.
“It took me a little while to get into the game today, I didn’t feel at my best again but I’ve just got to try and keep that wicket-taking attitude.
Adam Zampa celebrates the wicket of Maheesh Theekshana. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
“Bowling to set batters as well, trying to build some pressure, I just wasn’t really able to do that. I won’t make any excuses. I think I should be good enough to kind of play that role as well.
“Then I thought Pat Cummins’ spell in particular was a bit of a game changer for us and even his energy in the field, the run-out after the rain break, it changed the energy for us.
“And then once I was able to get a couple, we got on a bit of a roll and the energy changed in the group. We needed that one.”
Zampa was bemused by suggestions from former skipper Michael Clarke that Cummins was going to lose his place in the team heading into the Sri Lanka clash.
“We all back each other 100% in this team, so I don’t really know what’s been said or what people are reading, but the only thing that I saw come on the WhatsApp group was same 11 as last game,” he said.
“There’s no pressure on Pat there. We’ve got a really good feeling in the group in terms of backing each other, looking after each other.”
with AAP
>Cricket News
%20(3).jpeg)
0 Comments