Sri Lanka vs Australia in 2022

Twenty20 internationals (3): Sri Lanka 1, Australia 2
One-day internationals (5): Sri Lanka 3, Australia 2
Test matches (2): Sri Lanka 1 (12pts), Australia 1 (12pts)

Australia have been staunch supporters of Sri Lankan cricket since 1981, when their tour manager, Cam Battersby, came out in favour of the island being given Test status. And they continued that support in mid-2022, undertaking a full tour, with matches in all formats, despite Sri Lanka enduring a constitutional and economic crisis. Not long after the Australians left, the prime minster, Gotobaya Rajapaksa, departed too, if more hurriedly. The cricket - especially the shared Test series - gave some succour to a country beset by fuel shortages, which meant frequent power cuts.

Pat Cummins, Australia's captain, said he was shocked by what he had witnessed: "Day-to-day life here is tough at the moment, and children are at the very heart of it. We are certainly seeing the effects, with queues kilometres long around petrol stations. That has really hit home for us." Cummins and his men were especially moved during the fifth one-day international, when grateful fans unfurled banners thanking them for coming.

The Australians - ranked No. 1 - were disappointed not to win both Tests, although a 1-1 draw meant they retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy. Both games were played at Galle to save on travel costs and, after winning the first convincingly, Australia came unstuck against the left-arm spin of Prabath Jayasuriya, who marked his debut with 12 wickets. This was after hundreds from Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, countered by Dinesh Chandimal's maiden double. With the pitch increasingly taking spin, the visitors found a 190-run deficit too much.

The Tests followed two well-contested white-ball series. Australia won the first T20 easily, then wrapped up the series with a closer victory in the second, before Sri Lanka hit back. Australia started the 50-over series with another win, but Sri Lanka took the next three, Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka delighting the locals with centuries. It was Sri Lanka's first one-day series win over Australia at home for almost 30 years.

Overall, the tour's ten internationals were shared 5-5. With pitches generally helping the slow bowlers, another new left-arm spinner, 19-year-old Dunith Wellalage, led the wicket-takers in the ODIs with nine. David Warner felt this might backfire on them when the Tests started, as he and his team-mates had been given a lot of practice. Solid batting, especially by Cameron Green and Alex Carey, set up victory on a turning track in the First Test, only for Jayasuriya to have the last word. It seemed Australia's batsmen still had work to do to master subcontinental pitches. "We got a lot of lessons out of it to take to India next year," said Cummins.