The Australian cricket team had a short tour of Sri Lanka during the 1982–83 season. The two countries played their first ever Test together, which Australia won.^[1] Sri Lanka defeated Australia in the rain affected ODI series 2–0.

Quick Facts Dates, Captains ...

	Sri Lanka	Australia
Dates	22 April 1983 – 26 April 1983
Captains	Duleep Mendis	Greg Chappell
Test series
Result	Australia won the 1-match series 1–0
Most runs	Arjuna Ranatunga (122)	David Hookes (143)
Most wickets	Ashantha de Mel (2)	Bruce Yardley (7)
Player of the series	Kepler Wessels (Aus)
One Day International series
Results	Sri Lanka won the 4-match series 2–0
Most runs	Sidath Wettimuny (93)	Graham Yallop (209)
Most wickets	Tom Hogan (4)	Ashantha de Mel (5)

Close

The squad was announced in March 1983. Regular players Rod Marsh, Jeff Thomson, Geoff Lawson and Kim Hughes elected not to tour. Australia picked the following squad:

• Batsmen - Greg Chappell (captain), David Hookes (vice-captain), Graeme Wood, Kepler Wessels, Allan Border, Graham Yallop, Steve Smith
• Fast bowlers - Dennis Lillee, Rodney Hogg, John Maguire
• Spinners - Bruce Yardley, Tom Hogan
• Wicketkeeper - Roger Woolley
• Manager - Basil Rigg

Five of the players had not toured for Australia before: Smith, Maguire, Hogan, Wessels and Woolley. Woolley was chosen over two other Sheffield Shield wicketkeepers who had represented Australia in Test cricket, Kevin Wright and Steve Rixon.^[2] John Dyson, who had been an Australian regular over the home summer, was a surprise omission. Graham Yallop earned an international recall after a very strong domestic season. Tom Hogan was considered a surprise selection.^[3]

Sri Lanka won the series 2–0.

1st ODI

13 April 1983 Scorecard

Australia  168/9 (45 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 169/8 (44.1 overs)
G. M. Wood 50 (71) D. S. de Silva 2/21 (9 overs)		S. Wettimuny 37 (79) T. G. Hogan 3/27 (9 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 2 wickets Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo Umpires: C. E. B. Anthony and P. W. Vidanagamage Player of the match: R. G. de Alwis (SL)

• Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
• R. D. Woolley (AUS) made his ODI debut.

2nd ODI

16 April 1983 Scorecard

Australia  207/5 (45 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 213/6 (43.2 overs)
GN Yallop 59 (63) RJ Ratnayake 2/38 (9 overs)		S Wettimuny 56 (92) B Yardley 3/28 (9 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo Umpires: DP Buultjens and HC Felsinger Player of the match: A Ranatunga (SL)

• Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field.

3rd ODI

29 April 1983 Scorecard

Australia  194/5 (39.2 overs)	v	Sri Lanka
GN Yallop 51 (55) DS de Silva 2/51 (9 overs)

No result Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo Umpires: KT Francis and PW Vidanagamage

• Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field.

4th ODI

30 April 1983 Scorecard

Australia  124/3 (19.2 overs)	v	Sri Lanka
GN Yallop 60* (81) ALF de Mel 2/9 (4 overs)

No result Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo Umpires: DP Buultjens and S Ponnadurai

• Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
• The match was reduced before play started to 30 overs per side.
• GN de Silva and DSBP Kuruppu (SL) made their ODI debuts.