Updated :
Friday January 11 , 2013 1:05:20 PM
Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Melbourne
50 overs Australia 5 for 305 (Hughes 112, Bailey 89, Hussey 60*)
Phillip Hughes became the first Australian to score a century on ODI debut and George Bailey fell just short of a captain's hundred as Australia reached 6 for 305 from their 50 overs at the MCG. On a good batting pitch, Sri Lanka were not out of the game but their strike bowlers Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis didn't have the impact the Sri Lankans would have anticipated, and they will instead need something special from the batsmen to maintain the team's good recent record in Melbourne.
A late half-century from David Hussey, who was auditioning to become the permanent middle-order replacement for his retiring brother Michael, pushed the Australians past the 300-mark as the final ten overs brought 89 runs. Hussey finished unbeaten on 60 from 34 deliveries and took 21 off the last over, bowled by Mendis, including a six over long-off to bring up his half-century. It was a fine finish for the Australians, who had chosen to bat on a very hot afternoon.
The presence of three debutants at the top of Australia's order for the first time in a one-day international since the days of World Series Cricket didn't prove a major problem as Hughes showed why he has been one of the country's best domestic one-day batsmen in the past two years. His 112 from 129 balls made him the eighth man to make a hundred on ODI debut and surpassed Phil Jaques (94) as the leading Australian scorer on debut.
His 150-run third-wicket stand with Bailey was the key for Australia after the other two debutants, Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja, fell within the first 16 overs. Finch was caught behind for 16 when he pushed at a Mendis delivery that appeared to be a back-of-the-hand legbreak, and Khawaja was run out for 3 when he was turned back trying for a quick single to the leg side.
The throw from Jeevan Mendis didn't actually beat Khawaja to the crease, but in his full-stretch dive Khawaja was unable to prevent his bat from bouncing off the ground, and when the bails were taken off his blade was across the crease but not grounded. It was one of several pieces of poor running from the Australians, and although none of the others cost a wicket, Bailey and Hughes especially had a number of close calls during their stand.
One came when Hughes was pushing for his half-century with a quick single to mid-on and Bailey, who initially was ball-watching and also had a near tangle with the bowler, survived thanks to dive at the striker's end. Hughes' fifty had come from 57 deliveries and he was especially powerful through the off side, cutting and cover-driving when given width, exactly the kind of strokes he typically plays in Test cricket.
He also picked up three boundaries through the leg side and after a slight lull in the 80s and 90s, reached his century from his 123rd delivery with a single clipped wide of midwicket. A searing pair of boundaries through the off side against Malinga followed in the next over, but then Malinga had the consolation of having Hughes caught behind while backing away and making room, and it ended a fine innings that will make Hughes hard to drop when David Warner, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke return.
At the other end, Bailey had scored at a brisker rate than Hughes and picked the gaps well, working the ball effectively off his pads and driving straight down the ground, including one six lofted over long-on off Jeevan Mendis. Bailey's half-century came from 44 balls and he looked set for his first ODI century until he latched on to an Angelo Mathews delivery and sent it straight into the hands of Jeevan Mendis at deep midwicket.
Glenn Maxwell followed soon afterwards when he chipped Nuwan Kulasekara to midwicket for 5, but then Hussey and the recalled Brad Haddin finished the task well. Hussey struck six fours and one six, while Haddin wound up on 10 from 13 balls.
Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Melbourne
50 overs Australia 5 for 305 (Hughes 112, Bailey 89, Hussey 60*)
Phillip Hughes became the first Australian to score a century on ODI debut and George Bailey fell just short of a captain's hundred as Australia reached 6 for 305 from their 50 overs at the MCG. On a good batting pitch, Sri Lanka were not out of the game but their strike bowlers Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis didn't have the impact the Sri Lankans would have anticipated, and they will instead need something special from the batsmen to maintain the team's good recent record in Melbourne.
A late half-century from David Hussey, who was auditioning to become the permanent middle-order replacement for his retiring brother Michael, pushed the Australians past the 300-mark as the final ten overs brought 89 runs. Hussey finished unbeaten on 60 from 34 deliveries and took 21 off the last over, bowled by Mendis, including a six over long-off to bring up his half-century. It was a fine finish for the Australians, who had chosen to bat on a very hot afternoon.
The presence of three debutants at the top of Australia's order for the first time in a one-day international since the days of World Series Cricket didn't prove a major problem as Hughes showed why he has been one of the country's best domestic one-day batsmen in the past two years. His 112 from 129 balls made him the eighth man to make a hundred on ODI debut and surpassed Phil Jaques (94) as the leading Australian scorer on debut.
His 150-run third-wicket stand with Bailey was the key for Australia after the other two debutants, Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja, fell within the first 16 overs. Finch was caught behind for 16 when he pushed at a Mendis delivery that appeared to be a back-of-the-hand legbreak, and Khawaja was run out for 3 when he was turned back trying for a quick single to the leg side.
The throw from Jeevan Mendis didn't actually beat Khawaja to the crease, but in his full-stretch dive Khawaja was unable to prevent his bat from bouncing off the ground, and when the bails were taken off his blade was across the crease but not grounded. It was one of several pieces of poor running from the Australians, and although none of the others cost a wicket, Bailey and Hughes especially had a number of close calls during their stand.
One came when Hughes was pushing for his half-century with a quick single to mid-on and Bailey, who initially was ball-watching and also had a near tangle with the bowler, survived thanks to dive at the striker's end. Hughes' fifty had come from 57 deliveries and he was especially powerful through the off side, cutting and cover-driving when given width, exactly the kind of strokes he typically plays in Test cricket.
He also picked up three boundaries through the leg side and after a slight lull in the 80s and 90s, reached his century from his 123rd delivery with a single clipped wide of midwicket. A searing pair of boundaries through the off side against Malinga followed in the next over, but then Malinga had the consolation of having Hughes caught behind while backing away and making room, and it ended a fine innings that will make Hughes hard to drop when David Warner, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke return.
At the other end, Bailey had scored at a brisker rate than Hughes and picked the gaps well, working the ball effectively off his pads and driving straight down the ground, including one six lofted over long-on off Jeevan Mendis. Bailey's half-century came from 44 balls and he looked set for his first ODI century until he latched on to an Angelo Mathews delivery and sent it straight into the hands of Jeevan Mendis at deep midwicket.
Glenn Maxwell followed soon afterwards when he chipped Nuwan Kulasekara to midwicket for 5, but then Hussey and the recalled Brad Haddin finished the task well. Hussey struck six fours and one six, while Haddin wound up on 10 from 13 balls.
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