Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs
Australia moved to the top of the World Cup standings after handing Sri Lanka an 87-run loss at the Oval. Captain Aaron Finch lost the toss again and was made to bat first, but he spearheaded Australia's effort with a career-best 153 in a total of 334/7. While the skipper led from the front, Steve Smith pitched in with a gritty 73, while during the chase, Mitchell Starc and Kane Richardson claimed 7 wickets amongst themselves to bundle out Sri Lanka for 247.
Counterpart Dimuth Karunaratne tried to inspire his side the same way, but after he was out for a career-best 97 in the 33rd over, Sri Lanka collapsed. From 186/2 to 247 all out, the last eight wickets fell for 61 runs.
Mitchell Starc took 4/55, Kane Richardson 3/47, Pat Cummins 2-38 and Jason Behrendorff, making his World Cup debut in place of Nathan Coulter-Nile whose back stiffened up, took a wicket.
Australia's fourth win from five matches lifted it above New Zealand and England to lead the tournament halfway through its group stage matches.
Sri Lanka, which hadn't played in 11 days after two washouts, has only one win from five matches but remains fifth overall.
Australia's third consecutive 300-plus total and biggest yet of this campaign was powered by the captain's 14th one-day international hundred in a partnership of 173 with Steve Smith, who made 73.
After Finch and Smith were out in the 43rd and 44th overs, Glenn Maxwell plundered 46 from 25 balls but, as against Pakistan, Australia wasted wickets in hand at the end by losing three wickets in the space of 10 balls.
Still, Sri Lanka was left with a daunting chase in its first match in 11 days after two washouts.
Isuru Udana, the fast-bowling allrounder, starred with the wicket of Finch and Shaun Marsh, two run outs, and a catch. And this was after he hurt his left shoulder from sliding into the advertising boards in the fourth over.
(With AP Inputs)
