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Australia claimed victory by 41 runs in their opening Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka at North Sydney Oval in a tighter-than-expected clash that saw blistering centuries scored by both teams.
- After a triumphant Caribbean tour, Australia continues where it left off, with a T20 win over Sri Lanka
- The home side scored 4-217, with Beth Mooney's 113 off 61 balls, Ashleigh Gardner's 49 off 26 and Alyssa Healy's 43 off 21 the highlights
- In reply, Sri Lanka had their highest score in T20 internationals of 7-176, led by skipper Chamari Athapaththu, who also scored 113
Beth Mooney took just 54 balls to reach her second T20 century, securing the sixth-fastest ton on the international stage in the process as Australia posted 4-217.
The Queenslander was eventually dismissed for 113 in the penultimate over in a 61-ball innings that included 20 boundaries.
Mooney received able support from Ashleigh Gardner who contributed 49, as the pair put on a confident 115-run stand for the third wicket.
Gardner cracked four sixes in an entertaining 27-ball knock.
Australia made the most of first use of the wicket after winning the toss, with Alyssa Healy ensuring the home side got off to a flyer.
Healy crunched 43 off 21 balls in trademark whirlwind fashion as the opening pair put on 72 off just 39 balls.
Despite Australia's dominance there was a rare failure for captain and leading run-getter Meg Lanning, who was dismissed for 1 off the bowling of Oshadi Ranasinghe (2-44).
Ellyse Perry (5 not out) only had to face four balls at the end of the innings.
Sri Lanka had a steep hill to climb, but the tourists mustered a national record 7-176 from their 20 overs.
Opener and skipper Chamari Athapaththu reached the boundary almost at will in the latter stages of her innings to match Mooney and finish on 113, hitting 12 fours and six sixes.
Despite her stylish heroics, the result was rarely in doubt with Sri Lanka well behind the run-rate from the early stages.
Megan Schutt (1-34) finally dismissed the opener in the penultimate over when a well-directed yorker breached Athapaththu's defences, ensuring the all-conquering Aussies opened their domestic summer in winning fashion.
AAP
Topics: sport, cricket, twenty20, sydney-2000, north-sydney-2060, nsw, australia, sri-lanka