Australia hammer Sri Lanka by 10 WICKETS to maintain perfect start to the T20 World Cup

Australia have cruised past Sri Lanka in their T20 World Cup clash after the old firm of Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy put on an unbroken stand of 113 to hand them a 10-wicket win.

Mooney finished unbeaten on 56 and Healy on 54 as they went past Sri Lanka’s 8-112 with 25 balls remaining at St George’s Park on Thursday, effectively sealing the champions’ place in the semi-finals.

Earlier, Ellyse Perry’s dismissal of Chamari Athapatthu, Megan Schutt’s four-for at the death, and the spin squeeze from Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham and Alana King had set up the win.

Undefeated in the tournament like their opponents in the Group 1 fixture, Sri Lanka had started strong, and offspinning allrounder Ashleigh Gardner didn’t, after Australia opted to bowl.

Carting a combined four boundaries in the first four overs, Sri Lanka’s left-hand openers Athapaththu and Harshita Madhavi made a statement at an overcast St George’s Park.

Australia smashed Sri Lanka to effectively seal their place in the T20 World Cup semi final

Their powerplay score could have been higher than 1-38 had an airborne Grace Harris not snaffled a superb diving catch off Perry to get rid of captain Athapaththu at mid-off in the fifth over.

After breaking Sri Lanka’s highest opening partnership against Australia in T20Is, a 12-run seventh over from Perry then took Sri Lanka to 50 off 42 balls.

With their most destructive batter, Athapaththu, gone, it was little surprise that Sri Lanka’s second 50 came at a much slower rate, off 60 balls.

Australia kept chipping away at the opposition line-up, using seven bowlers, though they appeared slightly tentative on the field at times.

A missed stumping from Healy in Wareham’s second over reprieved Madhavi when she was on 32.

Three balls later, though, the veteran wicketkeeper made amends by stumping her to hand Harris her second wicket.

Alyssa Healy smashed an unbeaten half century for the reigning world champions

Beth Mooney also hit an unbeaten half century to secure a 10-wicket victory

Later, Anushka Sanjeewavi miscued one off King to Tahlia McGrath at cover in the 16th over, but the allrounder wasn’t able to swoop in on time.

Sanjeewani carted King for a four next ball through the deep square-leg region.

Wareham, however, accounted for the Sri Lanka No.5 the next over, having her drag on a full-length tossed-up delivery.

Schutt’s re-introduction at the death saw her have Vishmi Gunaratne caught by Perry for 24 in the 18th over.

Finding an able ally in Healy, Schutt then laughed her way to picking three cheap wickets in the 20th.