Australia began their T20 World Cup defence with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka, who slumped to a second defeat in less than 48 hours to leave their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread. Australia kept Sri Lanka to under 100, and knocked off the runs inside 15 overs. But their speed of run-scoring was not enough to put Australia on top of the group ahead of New Zealand on NRR, which could prove crucial in a pool where they have already been two upsets.

While it was relatively straightforward for Australia, they would be the first to admit that they were not at their most clinical best. Their bowlers sent down five no-balls and two wides, and the 13 extras were the fourth-highest contributor on a sorry Sri Lanka scorecard. That continues a trend of Australia conceding the most number of extras since the start of last year, and is a discipline they would want to tighten up on.Nitpicking aside, Australia held the advantage early thanks to medium-pacer Megan Schutt,  who finished with the best figures among the bowlers on a spinner-friendly track. Between them, spinners Ash Gardner, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham bowled 12 overs, which cost only 55 runs while they shared four wickets.

Sri Lanka’s only real resistance came from a 31-run fifth-wicket stand between Harshitha Samarawickrema and Nilakshika Silva, and they were the only batters to get more than 20. Sri Lanka ended up well short of a par total, but initially made a fist of defending it. They had Australia 35 for 3 and were fielding excellently, but did not have enough runs to make a game of it.

If there was any thought that Australia would be anything less than their absolute best as their tournament got underway, that was swiftly dismissed as they got off to the perfect start. Schutt started proceedings with the tournament’s second maiden over, and Gardner followed up with a second, which immediately raised questions of Chamari Athapaththu’s decision to bat first.

She got bat on ball in the third over, when she guided Schutt past backward point for two, but the over ended badly when Vishmi Gunaratne was given out lbw off the last ball, and reviewed to no avail. Schutt got the ball to tail in from outside off and pin Gunaratne on the back pad in front of middle and leg stump. Ball tracking confirmed her dismissal.

Things got worse two balls later, as Gardner beat Athapaththu’s sweep shot and asked for a review after the on-field decision seemed to suggest it was sliding down leg. But ball-tracking judged it to be hitting leg, and Athapaththu had to depart for a second single-figure score to start the World Cup. Sri Lanka were 6 for 2 in the fourth over.

Sri Lanka’s batters can’t be blamed for trying to make something happen in their search for runs, but their attempts to be attacking were unsuccessful as they could not get the ball to clear the boundary. Samarawickrama, who battled hard to score 23 off 35 balls, was the first to play a poor shot when she swung at a full, wide delivery from Molineux without much conviction, and popped a simple return catch to the bowler.

Hasini Perera only faced four balls for her 2, and was then given a gift when Wareham sent down a filthy full toss which she swiped at, but towards Gardner, who took a good catch over her right shoulder. And in the final over, with runs needed to put up a respectable total, Anushka Sanjeewani tried to lap Schutt but ended up scooping the ball straight to Wareham at short fine leg.

Sri Lanka were under the pump when they conceded eight runs off the first three legal deliveries of the Australia innings, but Udeshika Prabodhani had the perfect response. Her fourth ball was on a length and angled in, and Alyssa Healy shaped up for the leg-side flick, but the ball held its line and beat her completely to find off stump. Prabodhani closed out the over without conceding another run, and from nowhere, Sri Lanka were in the contest.

When Wareham was run-out in the third over and Ellyse Perry was bowled, the match teetered on an upset. But then, there was Beth Mooney. Arguably the best chaser in the women’s game, she took her time upfront and found her first boundary after the powerplay, when Inoshi Priyadarshani offered a full ball down leg, and Mooney paddled it fine for four.

She was into her work when she sent Sugandika Kumari over mid-on for four, which reduced the runs required to under 50. In typically responsible fashion, Mooney was there at the end, unbeaten on 43, and hit the winning run in the 15th over.

Brief scores:
Australia Women  94 for 4 in 14.2 overs (Beth Mooney 43*, Ellyse Perry 17; Udeshika Prabodhani 1-19, Inoka Ranaweera 1-20,   Sugandika Kumari  1-16) beat Sri Lanka Women  93 for 7 in 20 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrema 23, Nilakshika Silva 29*; Megan  Schutt 3-12, Ashleigh Gardner 1-14,  Sophie Molineux 2-20, Georgia Wareham 1-21) by six wickets

[Cricinfo]