SRI LANKA VS AUSTRALIA , 1ST ODI , COLOMBO : Asalanka-Theekshana Masterclass Helped Sri Lanka to Win Against Australia In 1St ODI .
Sri Lanka defeated Australia by 49 runs in the 1st ODI in Colombo, with Maheesh Theekshana taking a four-wicket haul. Set 215 to win, Australia were bowled out for 165 with Theekshana taking 4/40. Earlier, captain Charith Asalanka scored 127 from 126 deliveries to help hosts Sri Lanka reach a respectable 214 all out in 46 overs. Sri Lanka 1-0 up in two-match series. Wellalage, with 30, was the only other Sri Lankan batsman to make more than 20 as Asalanka scored his career-best, a total of four one-day international hundreds. Asalanka-Theekshana Masterclass Helped Sri Lanka to Win Against Australia In 1St ODI .
TOSS-
Sri Lanka won the toss & chose to bat.
TEAMS LINE UP-
Sri Lanka Squad:
Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando
Australia Squad:
Matthew Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey (wk), Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
SRI LANKA-
After Sri Lanka chose to bat first, Spencer Johnson made an immediate impact, cleaning up the dangerous Pathum Nissanka cheaply, before dismissing Kamindu Mendis in his new-ball spell, leaving Sri Lanka in a grim position at 31/4 in the seventh over. In between, Aaron Hardie also took a wicket in his opening over with the other Sri Lankan opener and in his third to cut off the boundary-laden introduction of Kusal Mendis. That became 55/5 shortly afterwards when Sean Abbott had Janith Liyanage caught by Steve Smith on 11.
Asalanka partnered with Dunith Wellalage, stitching a 67-run stand for the sixth wicket to steady the innings that had threatened to fall apart and take their team past the 100-run mark. However, against the play of the match, an extraordinary catch in the slips from Smith ended this partnership with Wellalage out for 30.
Asalanka completed his half-century off 71 deliveries in the 30th over, but twin strikes by Nathan Ellis in the succeeding overs left Sri Lanka in tatters at 135/8. Defending with the tail, Asalanka monopolised the strike for most of the other innings and chose to up the ante. Asalanka belted the next 40 deliveries for a century and showed no mercy to the bowlers. Abbott, specifically, was costly as he conceded a few maximums but finished off Ramith Rambukwella and Kasun Rajitha in the 46th over to restrict Sri Lanka to 214.
AUSTRALIA-
What gave even more impetus was Fernando’s double blows with the new ball that left both Australian opening batsmen back in the hut with their tails tucked in. It was soon 18/3 as Theekshana had Cooper Connolly in the next delivery. After a handy batting cameo, Wellalage made an instant mark with the ball too, dismissing Smith with his very first delivery.
A 52-run partnership between Alex Carey (41) and Marnus Labuschagne (15) steadied the chase but once Theekshana struck through, Australia were unable to build any significant partnerships. Hardie (32), Abbott (20) and Adam Zampa (20) all contributed but Sri Lanka continued to drag them back with regular wickets. To make matters worse for Australia, a couple of batters also wasted their starts with poor shot selection. Theekshana claimed his fourth as the visitors mistled bundled out for a meagre 165 in the 34th over to help the hosts take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 214 in 46 overs (Charith Asalanka 127; Sean Abbott 3-61, Aaron Hardie 2-13, Nathan Ellis 2-23) beat Australia 165 all out in 33.5 overs (Alex Carey 41; Maheesh Theekshana 4-40, Asitha Fernando 2-23, Dunith Wellalage 2-33) by 49 runs.