Bowlers set up Australia Women’s dominant win

Monday, 19 September 2016 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

(espncricinfo.com): Australia Women’s bowlers set up the side’s crushing win in the first ODI in Dambulla by bowling out Sri Lanka Women for 76 in 24.5 overs. Australia chased the target in 15.4 overs, before the scheduled innings break, but stuttered towards the end, losing five wickets for 30 runs. Australia took a 1-0 lead in the four-match ODI series.

Having opted to bat, Sri Lanka lost two wickets off successive deliveries in the second over bowled by Megan Schutt. Fast bowler Holly Ferling had captain Chamari Atapattu caught in the next over, before picking up two more in the fifth over. Sri Lanka, by then, had slumped to 3 for 5.

Legspinner Kristen Beams wrecked Sri Lanka’s middle order, taking the next three wickets to fall to leave the hosts tottering at 38 for 8 and in danger of posting their lowest ODI score (57). That ignominy was averted by No. 9 Inoka Ranaweera’s career-best score of 32 not out. She struck five fours in her 43-ball knock. Offspinner Erin Osborne claimed the last two wickets.

“We’ve talked about starting well, it was nice as a spinner to come in and take wickets on the back of a really good opening partnership,” Beams said after the match. “Being able to have attacking fields when you come on to bowl, there’s more confidence on our end. There was a fairly strong breeze, which was handy for a bit of drift, and there was just a little something in the wicket which we don’t have at home.”

Before the series, Sri Lanka Women coach Lanka de Silva had said he was banking on their left-arm spinners Ranaweera and Sugandika Kumari against Australia’s predominantly right-handed batting line-up. After one over from Eshani Lokusuriyage, in which she had Ellyse Villani lbw off the first ball, Sri Lanka turned to their spinners.

Captain Meg Lanning and Nicole Bolton added a 45-run second-wicket stand off just 44 balls to all but seal Australia’s chase. Ranaweera brought the hosts back into the match with three wickets in the space of six balls, but Australia cantered to the target with four wickets in hand and 206 balls to spare. Wicketkeeper Prasadani Weerakkody effected five of the six dismissals.