Ponting powers Aussies to victory

Ricky Ponting cracked an impressive 90 not out to steer Australia to an easy eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international played at The Suriyawewa Mahinda Rajapakse Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Ponting hit one six and eight fours in his 106-ball knock and skipper Michael Clarke made an unbeaten 58 as Australia surpassed Sri Lanka’s total of 208 with more than 11 overs to spare for a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

The duo had also scored half-centuries in their team’s seven-wicket win in the previous match.

Fast bowler Doug Bollinger led Australia’s disciplined attack with three wickets to restrict Sri Lanka to a modest total before Ponting and Clarke ensured victory with their 107-run stand.

Clarke, playing his 200th one-day international, hit two sixes and four boundaries in his 67-ball knock.

Ponting also added 94 for the second wicket with in-form opener Shane Watson (43) after the early dismissal of Brad Haddin.

Watson, who became the first batsman to complete 1,000 runs in one-dayers this year, was bowled by paceman Lasith Malinga after hitting one six and four boundaries in his 51-ball knock.

Bollinger was earlier superbly backed by fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, who bagged two wickets apiece.

Former captain Kumar Sangakkara top-scored for Sri Lanka with a patient 52, hitting just one six and one four in his 85-ball knock. He added 63 for the fifth wicket with Angelo Mathews (35).

Lower-order batsman Nuwan Kulasekara helped Sri Lanka cross the 200-mark with a brisk 31-ball 34.

Sangakkara fell just when he looked like stepping up the run-rate, caught by Johnson at long-on while attempting a big shot off spinner David Hussey in the 37th over.

Australia gained the upper hand when they reduced Sri Lanka to 77-4, with Lee, Johnson, Bollinger and left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty taking one wicket each.

Skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (24), Mahela Jayawardene (17) and Upul Tharanga (13) all got starts, but none could play a big knock.

AFP

SRI LANKA

U. Tharanga c Haddin b Johnson             	13
T. Dilshan b Lee                           	24
K. Sangakkara c Johnson b D. Hussey        	52
M. Jayawardene c M. Hussey b Doherty       	17
D. Chandimal c Haddin b Bollinger           	 1
A. Mathews c M. Hussey b Bollinger        	35
J. Mendis c Bollinger b Lee                 	 5
N. Kulasekara c Clarke b Watson            	34
L. Malinga c Ponting b Bollinger            	 0
R. Herath lbw b Johnson                     	 9
A. Mendis not out                           	7

Extras (lb2, nb1, w8)            		11
TOTAL (all out; 49.3 overs) 			208

Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Dilshan), 2-41 (Tharanga), 3-74 (Jayawardene), 4-77 (Chandimal),
 5-140 (Sangakkara), 6-151 (J. Mendis), 7-159 (A. Mathews), 8-173 (Malinga), 9-195 (Herath), 10-208 (Kulasekara).
Bowling: Lee 10-0-50-2 (w3), Bollinger 10-2-35-3 (w1), Watson 5.3-0-29-1, 
Johnson 9-1-34-2 (w1), Doherty 10-0-43-1 (nb1, w2), D. Hussey 5-0-15-1 (w1).

AUSTRALIA

S. Watson b Malinga                        	43
B. Haddin c Sangakkara b Kulasekara         	 7
R. Ponting not out                         	90
M. Clarke not out                          	58

Extras (lb2, nb1, w10)        			13
TOTAL (for two wickets; 38.2 overs)		211

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Haddin), 2-104 (Watson).
Bowling: Malinga 8-0-45-1 (nb1, w9), Kulasekara 7-1-38-1, Mathews 3-0-18-0, 
Herath 8.2-0-57-0 (w1), A. Mendis 6-0-23-0, J. Mendis 3-0-12-0, Dilshan 3-0-16-0.;