Australia dudded by ridiculous farce in ODI loss to Sri Lanka

Australia couldn't believe their fortune in the ODI loss against Sri Lanka after two deliveries hit the stumps, only for the bails to remain steadfast.

Opener David Warner did his best to help his team over the line, but it wasn't enough as Australia lost the fourth ODI and the series against Sri Lanka.

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Chasing 259 for victory on Tuesday, Warner played a lone hand as Australia capitulated from 4-189 in the 36th over to be all out for 254.

However, the Australian bowling attack would have been ruing their luck in the first innings when both Pat Cummins and spin bowler Matthew Kuhnemann managed to hit the stumps without the bails dislodging.

Kuhnemann bamboozled Pathum Nissanka and the ball ricocheted off his pads.

While the Sri Lankan batter frantically searched for the ball it ended up at the base of the stumps.

However, the ball didn't have enough momentum to dislodge the bails.

Only a few overs later, the Australians would have felt more aggrieved when Cummins hit leg stump without knocking off the bails.

Cummins delivery hit the pads of Charith Asalanka before glancing leg stump.

"Bowl...." the commentator said, before stopping to realise the the bails remained sturdy.

To make matters worse for the Aussies, Asalanka went on to make a century.

The cricket world couldn't believe the scenes in Sri Lanka, which ultimately cost the Aussies.

David Warner falls agonising short of century

Warner had looked in complete control after Finch (0), Mitch Marsh (26), Marnus Labuschagne (14) and Alex Carey (19) all came and went cheaply.

The opener was cagey in the early overs, before throwing his hands at mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana and taking him on.

Warner hit 12 boundaries in his knock, going hard through the covers and driving superbly.

And when he reached 99 he looked almost certain to end the longest century drought of his international career, which now sits at 48 innings across all formats.

However he was undone by a beautiful piece of bowling from Dhananjaya de Silva, who drew Warner out of his crease and beat his outside edge to have him stumped.

It was the sixth time Warner has been dismissed in the 90s in one-day cricket, and also resulted in a never-before-seen slice of history.

It marked the first time since ODI cricket began in 1971 that a team's openers have been dismissed for 0 and 99 in the same match, and just the second time someone has been stumped on 99 in the 50-over format.

with AAP

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