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MELBOURNE, Jan 1: Marvan Atapattu scored an unbeaten century to guide Sri Lanka to a confidence-boosting five-wicket win over Australia ‘A’ in a one-day practice match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Atapattu made 101 not out from 139 balls and shared an unbroken 78-run sixth-wicket partnership with Russel Arnold to steer the visitors to victory with eight balls to spare.
Arnold made an unbeaten 47 off just 41 balls as the Sri Lankans made 211 for five in reply to Australia ‘A’s modest total of 210-8.
Although they beat a second-string Victorian team in a practice match last weekend, Sri Lanka’s win was their first official victory since arriving in Australia last month following a run of five straight losses against Australia ‘A’, Australia and England.
Wicket-keeper Ryan Campbell scored 61 from 70 balls to help Australia ‘A’ rack up 210-8 after the Sri Lankans ripped through the top order to reduce the home side to 137-7.
Campbell and Nathan Hauritz put on 72 at almost a run a ball for the eighth wicket but the Sri Lankans were always in control in reply.
They suffered a middle-order collapse when they lost four wickets for 28 runs to slump to 133-5 before Atapattu and Arnold safely guided them to victory.
The two teams play each other in Adelaide next weekend before the triangular international series with England and Australia resumes after the final Ashes Test.
Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA ‘A’:
G.S. Blewett c G’ratne b D. F’nando 37
J.P. Maher lbw b B. F’nando 2
B.J. Hodge b B. F’nando 6
M.J. Clarke c J’suriya b G’ratne 18
A. Symonds run out 19
M.E. Hussey c de Silva b G’ratne 7
R.J. Campbell b J’suriya 61
I.J. Harvey lbw b J’suriya 13
N.M. Hauritz not out 23
A.A. Noffke not out 1
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-4, W-13, NB-5) 23
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 210
FALL OF WKTS: 1-15, 2-36, 3-72, 4-73, 5-86, 6-111, 7-137, 8-209.
DID NOT BAT: N.W. Bracken.
BOWLING: Nissanka 8-0-27-0 (1nb, 2w); T.C.B. Fernando 9-0-37-2 (4w); C.R.D. Fernando 10-1-44-1 (4nb, 3w); Gunuratne 10-0-43-2 (3w); de Silva 3-0-10-0; Jayasuriya 10-0-44-2 (1w).
SRI LANKA:
M.S. Atapattu not out 101
D.A. Gunawardene c Harvey b Noffke 8
H.P. Tillekeratne c C’bell b Blewett 30
P.A. de Silva c Bracken b Hauritz 4
D.P.M. Jayawardene c Maher b Hauritz 6
S.T. Jayasuriya run out 4
R.P. Arnold not out 47
EXTRAS (W-9, NB-2) 11
TOTAL (for five wkts, 48.4 overs) 211
FALL OF WKTS: 1-37, 2-105, 3-115, 4-128,
5-133.
DID NOT BAT: R.A.P. Nissanka, C.R.D. Fernando, T.C.B. Fernando, P.S. Gunuratne.
BOWLING: Noffke 10-2-31-1 (2nb); Bracken 9-0-45-0 (1w); Harvey 9.4-0-45-0 (2w); Symonds 5-0-37-0 (4w); Hauritz 10-0-34-2 (1w); Blewett 5-0-19-1 (w-1).
RESULT: Sri Lanka won by five wickets.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Marvan Atapattu. —Reuters
