I'd place Tillakaratne Dilshan in the part-time bowler category, but he's actually bowled almost 5,500 deliveries in one-day cricket. He's a veteran. Between deliveries, the little competitor gives the batsman the eyes. Five from the over.

The Aussies might be switching gears here. Rather than knocking the ball for a single, Steve Smith is now trying to pierce the field for fours, only being denied by Lasith Malinga's nifty footwork on the boundary.

The SCG is a unique cricket ground. It's got the imposing stands which envelop all modern stadiums, while also retaining the traditional single-tier buildings which have been in place for decades. Within the little historic stands are finely-crafted iron rails etc. Back then, it wasn't all about packing them in and stacking them high. Michael Clarke breaks the trickle of singles by belting Thisara Perera back over his head for four.

Australia 86-2 (20 overs)

Batsmen: Smith 35*, Clarke 17*

Fall of wickets: 19-1 (Warner 9), 41-2 (Finch 24)

Bowling figures: Malinga 4-0-16-0, Senanayake 6-0-28-0, Mathews 2-0-11-0, Prasanna 5-0-18-1, Perera 3-0-13-0

Australia won toss

Full scorecard

Image source, AFP

Mahela Jayawardene is at short mid-on, generally just being a pest to the batsman. He is in the right-hander's eyeline, clapping and chirping away. Steve Smith is being kept in check here - five dots and a single.

Good variation from Thisara Perera, who bowls a slower ball yorker outside off stump. Steve Smith just wafts his bat at fresh air. The 25-year-old has 116 ODI wickets to his name and should develop into a world-class all-rounder in the next few years. He is getting bounce out of this slow surface, but both Smith and Clarke are happy to deflect the short stuff into the leg side for easy singles. Three more added to the score.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"It's steady by modern standards but it's not a source of alarm for Australia. The old mantra was double your score after 30 overs. Now, history tells us that can you almost double your score after 35 overs."

Both Michael Clarke and Steve Smith are happy to score well below a run a ball for now. It's gentle, patient accumulation - the type of role England hoped Gary Ballance would play for them. It's laying a decent platform for the biffers lining up to bat next. Three from the over and drinks.

Image source, Getty Images

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"The Aussie camp will know that if you can get to 30-35 overs with two of three wickets down, anything is possible."

Would you tuck your shirt in if you were playing in the World Cup? Thisara Perera doesn't tuck his in, neither do a few other Sri Lankans. Michael Clarke and Steve Smith do, and their tidy attire mirrors their correct batting style. Anyway, the strike continues to be easily rotated. Three from the over.

If the players were not wearing colourful kit, you may be forgiven for thinking you were watching Test match cricket here. Unbeaten Pool A leaders New Zealand have a run-rate of 4.73 as they reach 159-3 after 30 overs. That means they now need 28 runs from the last 20 overs....

Image source, Reuters

Senanyake has a remodelled action since we last saw him in England. So far, he doesn't seem to have as much spin or mystery about him and Michael Clarke drops back into his crease to drive two through the off side. It's very easy for the batsmen at the moment.

Former India spinner Anil Kumble, who took 337 ODI wickets: Good move by Sri Lanka to play 2 spinners today. With Malinga on fire, they will be quite a handful!

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"There's a fantastic atmosphere here. It seems to be 50-50 in terms of support - an amazing amount of support for Sri Lanka."

Sri Lanka do themselves a favour and bring a seamer into the attack. The man they've turned to is Thisara Perera - a muscular and competitive medium-fast bowler. With a nice action, he grunts at the point of delivery and can only grimace when Steve Smith pirouettes and drives four through mid-on.

The SCG turf is unusually potted today. There's no pristine outfield, it looks like they've been playing football on it, while the actual wicket we're playing on has visible footmarks rather like a third or fourth day Test pitch. Another two singles knocked into space.

Joe Wilson
BBC News sports correspondent

On Twitter:, external Steve Finn seemed lightly bowled at England nets in Adelaide today....

Steve Smith is barely letting the ball touch the turf as he dances down the wicket and middles the ball for the singles which are accumulating quickly. Michael Clarke seems more intent to pierce the field as he places it between two men and picks up a couple for his troubles. Ticking along nicely.

Ayelet H Lushkov: Fellow England fans: are we rooting for Australia today? Is that even allowed?

Opener Martin Guptill raises his bat to the sky as he celebrates his 22nd half-century in one-day internationals. New Zealand are cruising along nicely, needing just 44 runs off 140 balls.

Ah. But then Guptill is walking back to the pavilion moments later. He goes for the single, team-mate Ross Taylor hesitates and the pair get themselves into an almighty muddle. Guptill is the one well short of the crease when the bails are knocked off and walks for 57.

Listen to TMS commentary via the 'Live Coverage' tab.

Scorecard