Johnson takes six to bowl Australia to victory

KANDY, Sri Lanka, (Reuters) – Fast bowler Mitchell  Johnson, playing in his 100th one-day international,took a  career best six for 31 to bowl Australia to a comfortable seven  wickets win over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international at  the Pallakele Stadium yesterday.

Johnson who came on to bowl as the sixth bowler, took a  wicket off his third ball and went on to scythe through Sri  Lanka who were dismissed for 191 in 41.1 overs.

Australia knocked the runs off with the experienced pair  Ricky Ponting and skipper Michael Clarke easing their side to  victory with an unbroken stand of 101 for the third wicket.

Ponting was out for 53 scored off 71 balls, his 80th ODI  fifty, with Australia needing nine for victory.
Clarke finished the match off with an unbeaten 53 off 78  balls, which contained only a solitary four, with Mike Hussey. Australia were given a rousing start by Shane Watson, who  cracked a brilliant 69 off 51 balls including six sixes and five  fours before Sri Lanka broke through.     Sri Lanka got off to a good start after winning the toss  with Upul Tharanga (34) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (29) sharing an  opening partnership of 54 off 58 balls. But the late order  batsmen paid the penalty for some injudicious stroke play and  Sri Lanka slid to 117-7.

Only an eighth wicket stand of 60 off 91 balls between Suraj  Randiv, who top scored with 41, and Nuwan Kulaskara (34) saw Sri  Lanka to a respectable total. Brett Lee completed 350 one-day international wickets when  he dismissed Kulasekara to end the Sri Lankan innings.
“This was not a 190 wicket, we did not bat well,” said Sri  Lanka captain Dilshan. “It was a good toss to win but our shot  selection was not good.”     Australian captain Clarke added: “It is important that I  lead from the front. It’s great to have Ponting at number three  with all that experience at the other end.”