Bolton century seals Australia Women’s 4-0 sweep

Opener Nicole Bolton’s’s second ODI century set up Australia Women’s 4-0 sweep of Sri Lanka Women at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. Bolton hit 113 off 146 balls, and added 140 runs with Ellyse Perry, who struck a run-a-ball 77, for the third wicket to form the bulwark of Australia’s 268 for 3 after electing to bat.

Bolton had stitched together partnerships of 48 and 72 with Elyse Vilani and captain Meg Lanning respectively. Vilani chipped in with 22 off 31, including two fours and a six before she was trapped lbw by medium-pacer Chamari Atapattu.

Lanning ensured the innings didn’t lose momentum with a brisk 43 off 44 balls, before she too was dismissed by Atapattu. Bolton and Perry then capitalised on 23.4 wicketless overs. Bolton was dismissed with four deliveries remaining in the innings, and had cracked eight fours and a six.

Sri Lanka used seven bowlers but apart from Atapattu, only one of them – Ama Kanchana, the right-arm pacer – was among the wickets. Kanchana accounted for Bolton, but leaked 52 runs in eight overs.

In the chase, Sri Lanka were shot out for 131 in 45.5 overs, primarily through the efforts of legspinner Kirsten Beams, and right-arm pacers Rene and Holly Ferling, who shared the wickets to secure a 137-run win.

Only three Sri Lanka batsmen registered double figures. Hasini Perera was caught early off Ferling for 2 at the end of the third over. Wicketkepper Prasadani Weerakkody and captain Atapattu rebuilt with a 63-run second-wicket stand. Beams broke the partnership by trapping Atapattu in front, before she dismissed Weerakkody a few overs later. When Weerakkody fell for 33, the highest score of the innings, Sri Lanka were 87 for 3. Thereafter, only Chamari Polgampola got to double figures, consuming 60 deliveries for her 19.

Beams returned 4 for 26, while Ferling, who opened the bowling, took 3 for 30 in 7.5 overs. Farrell finished with career-best figures of 3 for 17 in eight overs.