By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lankan Captain Charith Asalanka led from the front in a typical personification of taking on responsibility when the chips were down blasting a breathtaking run a ball Player of the Match 127 in cracking 14 boundaries and 5 to the stands in taking Sri Lanka from the jaws of defeat of 5 for 55 after 14.4 overs to a truly great incredible 49 run win in the first day ODI over Australia to go 1-up in the 2-match series on Wednesday at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
The 27-year old left hander emerged in the engulfing gloom as Sri Lanka was left reeling by a new look Australian bowling attack being put on trial with the seniors rested, in unleashing what was to cascade as a sweet savaging stroke play in an out of this world power display of launching himself at the ball and dispatching it in a mighty heaving thud as he smote several of Australia’s bowlers including Sean Abbot, Matthew Short and Spencer Johnson over the top as boundaries and sixes flowed like a fireworks display as quite a big local fan base came to life roaring from the pin drop silence when Sri Lanka’s batting rock bottomed.
Asalanka brought up his century off 111 balls containing 11 boundaries and 3 sixes as Sri Lanka was finally dismissed for 214 in 46 overs, but came back strongly to run through Australia for 165 in just 23.5 overs.
While the Lankan captain unleashed a virtual One Man Show, credit must go to young all-rounder Dunith Wellalage without whose 30 off 34 when? he walked to the middle with the Lankan innings in shambles of 55 for 5 after 14.3 overs when Janith Liyanage fell for 11, Asalanka would have lacked the side support leverage that Wellalage lent to the team’s uplifting cause.
Indeed, this was not the first time the youngster had played such an useful knock, and watching Wellalage bat unafraid to reach the boundary twice and go over the top once made one think that here was a talent that capable of serving Sri Lanka in any format of cricket. This fact was further illustrated by the fact that Wellalage played a key role in also dismissing prize batsman Steve Smith, the Australian captain who had been Sri Lanka’s scourge in the lost test series when he poleaxed the seasoned Aussie captain to clean bowling him for 12.
Asalanka’s sweet savagery of the Aussie attack that ran into a final assault going into the late overs was such that he dominated a 79 run ninth wicket partnership with Eshan Malinga whose contribution was just 1.
Australia was put out of the contest with the Lankan bowlers making early inroads with pacer Asitha removing both openers Matthew Short leg before for a duck and taking a sharp return catch from Jake Fraset McGurk for 2 and when Smith fell for 12 a low of 3 for 39 and 83 for 5 when Marnus Labuschagne for 15 LBW to Maheesh Theekshana in a 4 wicket grab.
Alex Carey 41 and Aaron Hardle 32 did flex their muscles but noting enough with Wanindu Hasaranga trapping the latter LBW and Asalanka having Carey caught by Nissanka.
Chief Scores
Sri Lanka 214 (46 Overs)
(Charith Asalanka 127, Dunith Wellalage 32, Spencer Johnson 2/44, Aaron Hardle 2/13, Sean Abbot 3/61, Matthew Short 1/39)
Australia 165 (23 5 Overs)
(Alex Carey 41, Aaron Hardle 32, Sean Abbot 20, Mahees Theekshana 4/40, Asitha Fernando 2/23, Dunith Wellalage 2/33, Charith Asalanka 1/5)
