25 overs Australia 2 for 119 (Hughes 67*, Bailey 28*) v Sri Lanka
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Phillip Hughes continued his remarkable one-day form with a half-century
on ODI debut but Sri Lanka ensured Australia's other two debutants had
little impact in the first match at the MCG. On a hot Melbourne
afternoon, the Australians reached 2 for 119 at the 25-over mark having
chosen to bat, with Hughes on 67 and the acting captain George Bailey on
28.
The Australians had survived a few close calls with their running
between the wickets, including one in which Bailey narrowly made it home
after ball-watching and another in which Bailey's full-length dive
saved him when Hughes pushed a single to mid-on to bring up his
half-century. However Usman Khawaja wasn't so fortunate in his first
limited-overs international, run out for 3 from 11 deliveries.
Khawaja pushed the ball to midwicket and took off for a single but
turned back, and Jeevan Mendis sent an accurate throw to the striker's
end where the bails were whipped off by Dinesh Chandimal. Khawaja dived
and appeared to make his ground, but replays showed his bat had bounced
upon hitting the ground outside his crease and although the blade was
over the crease when the bails came off, it was not grounded.
Another Mendis, Ajantha, had combined to get rid of Australia's other
debutant, Aaron Finch, earlier for 16 from 28 balls. Mendis, playing his
first one-day international since this day last year, deceived Finch
with what appeared to be a legbreak out of the back of his hand, and
found an outside edge that was well caught by Chandimal, and it left
Australia at 1 for 53 after a steady opening stand from Finch and
Hughes.
Hughes, who had averaged 90.28 from his previous 20 List A innings
before this game, showed why he should not be considered a Test
specialist with strong cuts and drives through the off side. He also
drove straight effectively and picked up a couple of his eight
boundaries through the leg side. Bailey also punched a straight drive
for four off Thisara Perera and by the halfway mark, the Hughes-Bailey
partnership had reached 47.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale
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