Australia captain Aaron Finch yesterday equaled his highest one-day international (ODI) score of 153, as he powered the World Cup holders to 334-7 against sloppy Sri Lanka.
Finch took the misfiring Sri Lanka’s attack apart with a dazzling display at the Oval that included 15 fours and five sixes.
It was his 14th ODI century and the second of his World Cup career.
The 32-year-old’s 132-ball demolition job took him level with his previous best score of 153 against Pakistan in March.
“I feel like I’m playing reasonably well,” the skipper said. “When you hit a few drives early on it gives you some confidence.”
Finch was well-supported by Steve Smith’s 73 from 59 balls and the pair put on 173 runs for the third wicket to set Sri Lanka a formidable total.
Australia are searching for their fourth win from five matches after beating Afghanistan, the West Indies and Pakistan.
Their lone defeat in the 10-team tournament came against India and a victory over Sri Lanka would put them well on course for a semi-final berth.
Together with opening partner David Warner, Finch took the attack to Sri Lanka after being put in to bat under cloudy skies, and the pair passed 50 for the opening wicket for the fourth time in five games at the World Cup.
Warner was the first Australian to perish when he was bowled by spinner Dhananjaya de Silva for 26.
De Silva struck again when Usman Khawaja (10) played a loose shot straight down the throat of Isuru Udana at deep square leg to leave Australia 100-2.
That brought Smith to the crease and triggered the now-standard smattering of boos from the non-Australians in the crowd in reference to his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year.
However, Smith has been in fine form since returning from his ban for the incident and his composed presence freed Finch to go for broke.
Finch stepped on the gas to take 20 runs, including two sixes, off de Silva’s eighth over and he brought up his hundred with a six off Milinda Siriwardana.
Sri Lanka had no answer to his brutal assault and by the time he departed, caught by Dimuth Karunaratne off Udana, he had put Australia in a commanding position.
Glenn Maxwell’s quick-fire 46 not out capped a depressing outing for Sri Lanka, who have one win from four games after their previous two matches were abandoned due to rain.
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