Rampant Australia clinch series with nine-wicket win

Australia Women thrashed Sri Lanka Women by nine wickets in the third One-Day International (ODI) at Colombo (RPS) to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series on Friday (September 23). Sri Lanka, who looked bereft of confidence in the previous two ODIs, crumbled with both bat and ball in the third, and now only have pride to play for in the fourth match on Sunday.

Winning the toss, Australia Women opted to bowl, but saw Sri Lanka's openers putting up 50 for the first wicket. Prasadani Weerakkody and Nipuni Hansika started in fine fashion. Prasadani, in particular, kept finding the boundary boards at regular intervals. Nipuni, at the other end, took her time to settle down and played second fiddle.

First change bowler Grace Harris made the crucial breakthrough for the visitors by trapping Prasadani in front for a 37-ball 31. Her dismissal reduced the run-rate drastically for Sri Lanka as they added only 12 runs in the next 9 overs. Jess Jonassen, the slow left-arm orthodox bowler, then took just three deliveries to strike in her first over as she dismissed Nipuni for 23. Even though skipper Chamari Atapattu hit back-to-back boundaries in the next over, Jonassen soon dislodged Chamari Polgampola, the veteran allrounder, to put the hosts under more pressure.

Megan Schutt and Jonassen then got rid of Eshani Lokusuriyage and Atapattu respectively in the space of four deliveries as the hosts lost half their side by the 27th over, with just 82 runs on the board.

Sri Lanka never recovered from the setback as they lost their next five wickets for the addition of just 20 more runs as eight players ended up with single-digit scores. Jonassen finished with stunning figures of 3 for 1 in her four overs and was the pick of the bowlers. Holly Ferling and Kristen Beams picked up two wickets each, while Schutt, Harris and Ellyse Perry chipped in with a wicket each.

After losing six wickets in pursuit of 77 in the first game, the visitors were cautious to begin the chase. Nicole Bolton and Elyse Villani added only 15 runs in the first six overs after which Villani opened up. She first hit a boundary off Inoka Ranaweera and then hit two more off Sugandika Kumari to take Australia to 37 after the powerplay.

Defending just 102, Sri Lanka didn't help themselves by conceding five wides on two separate occasions. Shortly after bringing up the 50-run stand in the 13th over, the visitors went through a dry period of five overs without a single boundary before Villani found one off Ama Kanchana in the 19th over.

Sri Lanka finally made the breakthrough in the 24th over when Ranaweera breached through Bolton's defense to bring an end to the 89-run partnership. The dismissal came too late though, as the tourists finished the proceedings 25 balls later to win by nine wickets. Villani remained unbeaten until the end on 48 off 85 deliveries.