Sport
Hughes century as Aussies coast to win over Sri Lanka
Hughes century as Aussies coast to win over Sri Lanka
BOUNCED BUT NOT OUT: Australian batsman Phillip Hughes jumps to avoid a bouncer during the first ODI against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (AFP)
AFP/Melbourne
Opener Phil Hughes scored a debut century as Australia amassed 305 for five and dismissed Sri Lanka cheaply for a 107-run victory in the opening match of the five-game one-day international series yesterday.
Hughes became the first Australian to score a century on his ODI debut as the hosts posted a big score after winning the toss against Sri Lanka in Melbourne.
The diminutive left-hander cracked 112 off 129 balls to help set the Sri Lankans a competitive run chase under lights at 6.12 runs an over.
But the Sri Lankans, despite being well in the match at 111 for two, self-destructed with three run outs and Clint McKay (4-33) helped bowl the tourists out for 198 with 10 overs to spare.
Hughes was the highlight of a free-scoring Australian innings with skipper George Bailey scoring 89 off 79 balls and David Hussey chipping in with a late unbeaten 60 off 34 balls.
Hussey, the younger brother of veteran Mike Hussey, finished with a flourish, plundering 21 runs off the last over from off-spinner Ajantha Mendis, including a six over long-off to bring up his half-century.
There were a couple of failures in the Australian innings with Usman Khawaja run out for three after setting off for a risky single and being sent back by Hughes.
Fellow top-order debutant Aaron Finch went for 16 and Glenn Maxwell was caught attempting to chip over the on side off Nuwan Kulasekara for five. Paceman Lasith Malinga didn’t fare well on his return for Sri Lanka taking 1-61 on a pitch suited for batting.
Sri Lanka were travelling well at the halfway stage of their innings before Tillakaratne Dilshan (51) was run out by a direct hit from Usman Khawaja.
The Sri Lankans paid dearly for suicidal running between wickets with cover fieldsman Glenn Maxwell running out Angelo Mathews (12) and Lahiru Thirimanne (0) in consecutive deliveries in the 30th over as Sri Lanka slumped to 128 for five.
Mitchell Johnson (2-43) dismissed Jeevan Mendis (20) caught at mid-off and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin pulled off a diving catch to remove the danger man Dinesh Chandimal for 73 off 95 balls in the following over from McKay.
Johnson also removed Thisara Perera (four) and McKay claimed the last two wickets in successive deliveries.
Australia rested opener David Warner, skipper Michael Clarke, injured vice-captain Shane Watson and wicketkeeper Matt Wade, while Mike Hussey, newly-retired from Test cricket, was dumped after announcing this will be his final international season.
It is the most first-gamers Australia have fielded in an ODI game since January 1986 when Simon Davis, Dave Gilbert, Bruce Reid and Steve Waugh made their debuts.
The second game in the series takes place in Adelaide on Sunday.
Pakistan axe Akmal brothers for SA tour
Karachi: Pakistan yesterday included lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan in a 16-man squad for next month’s three Tests against world number one side South Africa, but there was no place for the three Akmal brothers.
The 30-year-old Irfan, who is said to be seven foot one inch tall, impressed with his steepling bounce during Pakistan’s recent tour to India where he featured in all three one-day matches and two Twenty20 internationals. But he has yet to play a Test.
The Test squad, led by Misbah-ul Haq, will open with a four-day side match at East London from January 25 before the first Test in Johannesburg from February 1.
The Pakistan Cricket Board said separate squads for two Twenty20 internationals and five one-day matches, which follow the Tests, will be announced later.
Surprisingly, none of the three Akmal brothers - Kamran, Umar and Adnan - are part of the Test squad and no selector was available to say why.
Adnan has been a regular in Pakistan’s Test squad as specialist wicket-keeper. Although he was injured during Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka last June he played in the ongoing first class season.
He is replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed. Nineteen-year-old paceman Ehsan Adil was also selected for the first time after impressing during the Junior World Cup in Australia last year. Adil has taken 56 wickets in ten first-class matches this season.
Itinerary:
Jan 25-28 vs SA invitation XI at East London; Feb 1-5 Ist Test at Johannesburg; Feb 14-18 Second Test Cape Town; Feb 22-26 Third Test Centurion; March 1 Ist Twenty20 at Durban; March 3 Second T20 at Centurion ; March 6 SA invitation XI side match at Kimberley; March 10 Ist one-day international at Bloemfontein; March 15 Second one-day international at Centurion; March 17 Third one-day international at Johannesburg; March 21 Fourth one-day international at Durban; March 24 Fifth one-day international at Benoni.