Australia Women’s Team coasted to a 157-run victory over the Sri Lanka Women’s Team on an imposing total of 8 for 281 in 50 overs in the first of the 3-match ODIs against Sri Lanka at Allan Border Field on Saturday. Sri Lanka was dismissed for 124 with a highest score of 30 by skipper Shashikala Siriwardena. Sri Lanka’s undoing was the inability of the batters to convert good starts to good effect. Harshitha Madavi displayed promise with 22 off 25 balls.

Australia’s triumph was built around an all-round team display with the top five notching half-centuries. Meg Lanning’s led the way with a top score of 73. It was the ideal platform for the bowlers to do the rest.

It was to the credit of the SriLankan bowlers in foiling top batsmen Rachael Haynes and Beth Mooney from scoring centuries when looking se to do so. Haynes made 56 and Mooney 66.

Sri Lanka struck early dismissing Alyssa Healy for 8, three days after her world record T20I innings of 148 not out. She was caught and bowled by Achini Kulasuriya. But Haynes and Lanning revived the innings with a second-wicket alliance of 126 in 21 overs. The Sri Lankan lasses did have some good moments with wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani taking a fantastic catch to remove Haynes while Mooney fell to a stumping.

CHIEF SCORES:

Australia women 8/281 (50 Overs)

(Lanning 73, Mooney 66, Haynes 56, Prabodhani 2/46,

Ranasinghe 2/76)

Sri Lanka women 124 All out (41.3 Overs)

(Siriwardene 30, Gardner 2/9, Vlaeminck 2/14, Jonassen 2/17)

By Srian Obeyesekere

-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-.