Johnson’s 6/31 wrecks Lanka

Dilanka MANNAKKARA reporting from Pallekelle

A much experienced and dominant Australian side stamped their class after thrashing a hapless Lankan side by seven wickets to record a crushing win in the first ODI at Pallekelle to take the lead in the five match ODI series 1-0. Sri Lanka were bowled out for a shocking 191 all out.

It was the Mitchell Johnson show as he did his best ever, by taking 6 for 31 in his 100th game for Australia.

Sri Lanka who won the toss and opted to bat first were off to a quick start after Upul Tharanga coming back to the side after three months, hit a breezy 34 before he was bowled trying to cut Xavier Dohetry. Dilshan who wasn’t at his fluent best tried to lift David Hussey over mid-off but failed to clear the field and was caught for 29. Sri Lanka were in further trouble after Mahela Jayawardena pushed down to number four after opening in the T 20 games slashed at a wide ball outside off stump and was caught by Brad Haddin off Mitchell Johnson for just three runs. Then Johnson made further inroads to the Lankan batting line up by deceiving Sangakkara to a fullish slow delivery that drew him to play a drive for 16 runs. Chandimal batting in at number five departed for 12 off the bowling of Doug Bollinger..

Another two wickets to Johnson came soon after, and Sri Lanka’s pain was compounded. A quick yorker rattled the stumps of Jeevan Mendis for 2. Angelo Mathews had a brain-freeze and was caught at mid-off and Shane Watson took the catch and the score was on 117 for seven wickets. It was up to the pair of Suraj Randiv and Nuwan Kulasekara to rebuild the Lankan innings and they batted sensibly showing their much famed top order the way to go on a placid batting wicket. A 60-run crucial partnership from Suraj Randiv and Nuwan Kulasekara gave the crowd at Pallekele something to cheer, and the team something to defend with the ball. Randiv tried to launch Johnson out of the ground only to be caught at long-off for a invaluable 41. Later in the same over, Johnson came around the wicket and knocked back the off stump of Ajantha Mendis to secure his first six-wicket haul in an ODI.

The fightback quickly fizzled out when Kulasekara (34) pulled to deep midwicket where a good catch low to the ground from Michael Hussey gave Brett Lee his 350th one-day international wicket

The Australians started the chase with a bang after Shane Watson dealt the pace attack of Nuwan Kulasekara and Suranga Lakmal by hammering them to all corners. He started off with some lovely boundaries and moved on to belting monstrous sixes before Ajantha Mendis was introduced to the attack. Watson hit the first ball he faced from Mendis for a huge six and was dropped by Suranga Lakmal of the next ball. However Mendis yet again had the better of Brad Haddin who was bowled in the same over for 12 runs. Watson got to his fifty of 43 balls with a lovely six of Mendis over long on. Suraj Randivwas greeted by two giant sixes by Watson before he top edged to be caught by Mahela Jayawardena for a whirlwind 69 of 51 balls with five fours and six massive sixes.

Captain Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting steadied the innings and their 101 run partnership ensured that Sri Lanka were totally out of the game. Ponting reached a well made fifty in 65 balls with five fours. He was finally dismissed as he went for the sweep from outside off but was struck on the pad and the ball trickled in to the stumps to dislodge the bail with only 10 runs to win. Clarke then finished off the chase by hitting Randiv down the track and Australia won with 71 balls to spare.