Skipper Asalanka’s rescue act turns tables on Aussies

By M. Shamil Amit

A captain’s knock of 127 in 126 balls by Charith Asalanka paved the way for Sri Lanka to pull off a comfortable 49-run win over Australia in the first of the two ODI matches played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday.

Australia, chasing a target of 215, were restricted to 165 as Sri Lanka took a one-nil lead in the series.

Australia lost their top four wickets with the score on 31 in the 10th over. They made a recovery through a 52-run stand for the fifth wicket between Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey and another 41-run stand for the seventh wicket between Aaron Hardie and Sean Abbott.  

But Maheesh Theekshana, who ended with a four-wicket haul, grabbed the last wickets to give Sri Lanka a comfortable victory.

Earlier, Sri Lanka opting to bat first, were in trouble as they struggled on six for two and later, they were in dire straits at 31 for four in the seventh over.

However, with Sri Lanka on 55 for five in the 15th over Asalanka found a reliable partner in Dunith Wellalage. The pair brought up Sri Lanka’s 100 during their 50-run stand for the sixth wicket in 48 balls.

Asalanka found another partner in Eshan Malinga as the pair posted 50 runs for the ninth wicket.

Asalanka’s fourth ODI hundred contained 14 boundaries and five sixes.