Australia storm into title round

Former champs have it easy against Sri Lanka

Australia continued their winning ways at the ICC Women’s World Cup and booked a place in the final with a nine-wicket  victory  over Sri Lanka in their second Super Six game here on Sunday.

This was Australia’s fifth successive victory in the tournament.

At the CCI, in front of a lively crowd, Australian captain  Jodie Fields won the toss and put Sri Lanka in. The Australian bowlers were clinical in their approach, dismissing Sri Lanka for just 131 off 45.2 overs.

Australia were without the services of pace spearhead Ellyse Perry, who aggravated an ankle injury.

The Sri Lankan downfall started early when pacer Megan Schutt cleaned up Yasoda Mendis in the fifth over. The Lankans never really got going as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

The only batter to offer some resistance was Deepika Rasangika who tried to take the attack to the bowlers striking seven fours in her 43. Her 49-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Dilani Manodara (21) was the highest of the innings.

Off-spinner Erin Osborne did the damage in the middle-overs taking three wickets.

She finished with superb figures of 10-6-9-3 including 54 dot balls. She accounted for Manodara and also dismissed the dangerous Eshani Kaushalya, who was brilliantly caught at mid-wicket by Alex Blackwell. Later, Osborne castled Prasadini Weerakkody for 13.

In reply, Australia looked like they were playing on a different pitch to the one the Sri Lankans had started the day, as openers Meg Lanning (37) and Rachael Haynes (71 not out) put on 55 in under 10 overs before Lanning was out, edging one to slip, off the bowling of Sripali Weerakkody.
Haynes was then joined by Jess Cameron and they finished off the match with more than 27 overs to spare and put Australia in their eighth World Cup final.