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The all-star Sri Lankan team handed the Australian legends a seven-run defeat in the second match of the Road Safety World Series, held at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, opening with Romesh Kaluwitharana, gave a trademark flying start against the domestic legends of Australia. Classical batsman Marvan Attapatu came in to bat after Lankans lost Dilshan in the fourth over.
Contributions from Chamara Kadupegara and Farvez Maharoof down the order helped Sri Lanka post a total of 161/8 on the board.
Off spin trio of Jason Krejza, Xavier Doherty, and Brad Hodge were the picks of the bowlers as they picked a couple of wickets each.
Coming out to bat, it was only a one-sided effort from the Australian stalwart Nathan Reardon. The rest of the batting order tumbled around him as the southpaw held one end up.
Reardon single-handedly ran the Lankans close without any support at the other end, playing a sensational knock of 96 off just 58 deliveries.
Unfortunate to miss out on his ton, and not to get his team across the finishing line, Reardon smacked nine boundaries and five maximums in his knock.
The Aussie batsmen yet again displayed their inefficacy against spin in subcontinental conditions. They had no answer to Dilshan, Rangana Herath, and Sachitra Senanayake, who shared six wickets amongst themselves.
Eight of the batsmen glaringly could not get into double-figures. In the end, despite Reardon’s heroics, Sri Lanka legends ended up on the winning side by a narrow 7-run margin.
Brief Scores
Sri Lanka Legends 161/8 (20)
Romesh Kaluwitharana 30(26), Chamara Kapugedera 28(18)
Xavier Doherty 2/28, Brad Hodge 2/18
Australia Legends 154/10 (19.5)
Nathan Reardon 96(53),
Tillakaratne Dilshan 3/35, Rangana Herath 2/5
