ICC Women's World Cup 2017, Sri Lanka vs Australia: 5 Talking Points

An enthralling game took place at Bristol between Sri Lanka and Australia eves in the Women’s Cricket World Cup yesterday. The Aussies emerged victorious comfortably in the end with the reigning champions posting an eight-wicket win. More than the team efforts, this game was all about individual brilliance with two centuries on either side of the break by Chamari Atapattu and Meg Lanning, thereby setting the tone for the game.

Sri Lanka batted first and posted 257 on the board with Atapattu top scoring with stupendous knock of 178 not out. In reply, Australia managed to chase the total down in just 44 overs and maintained their winning momentum.

Let's have a look at the five talking points between the group stage game between Sri Lanka and Australia:

#5 A clinical start to the tournament for the Aussies

Australia started the campaign on the front foot with an easy win over West Indies which set the ball rolling for them. Lanning and her side arrived in Bristol with the same confidence and destroyed Sri Lanka's batting lineup, barring one batter.

Any other team would have been crushed by watching an opposite player amass 178, but the champions went to bat with an absolutely clear mind. Despite an early wicket, they never looked under pressure and reached the needed total with utmost ease.

#4 A tale of two sensational batting efforts

Chamari Atapattu played one of the best innings of all time

There are some games which are overpowered by some individual performances, and those happen very rarely. But that was exactly on display in Bristol as two centuries by two of the most talented batters in women's cricket currently will get more headlines than an eight-wicket win for Australia in the World Cup.

Both Atapattu and Lanning were in brilliant nick yesterday with the bowlers getting absolutely thrashed left, right and centre. The pitch was a bit on the slower side but the experienced campaigners adjusted brilliantly and made the most out of their time in the middle.

Words will fall short of describing the two knocks which will undoubtedly go down in the history books as being two of the best ever knocks in women's cricket history.

#3 No luck again for the Lankan bowlers

Nikashi De Silva reacts after a bad over

Sri Lanka had a fairly inexperienced bowling side going into the World Cup which was again on display last night against Australia. Chandima Gunaratne, who was the only wicket taker in their last game, missed yesterday’s game and without her, Lanka's bowling unit looked toothless.

The Aussies have arguably the best batting lineup in the world and one which is very comfortable against spin. The Islanders used their spinners without much effect. Lanka have failed to take wickets so far in the tournament and this might be the very reason which might make them the first side to be dumped out of the tournament in the coming weeks.

#2 Nicole Bolton continues her purple patch with the bat

Bolton came into this game after scoring 107 against West Indies

The opening batswoman for Australia is considered as one of the best in the business and she is reflecting just why in the tournament. She made a well-paced 60 and played a perfect foil for her captain, Meg Lanning to get on with the proceedings.

She did not take unnecessary risks and reserved the hitting part for Lanning. Yet she scored at a healthy rate of 84.5 in an inning which included eight risk-free fours. Bolton followed last game’s brilliant century against West Indies with another solid knock and the Aussies will be glad their opening pair are firing.

#1 Chamari Atapattu, take a bow!

Atapattu probably played the knock of her life

Seldom a single knock breaks so many records as much as the knock of Atapattu did! Her individual score of 178 was the third highest ever in the history of women's cricket. She also scored 69.26% of Lanka's runs which is the highest ever ratio of runs scored by a player. Atapattu also broke the record for most runs scored in boundaries - she scored 124 of her runs in fours and sixes.

She reaffirmed her status as Sri Lanka's best ever batter with this being her third century for the Lankans. Her country's top four scores in ODIs astonishingly belongs to her. It is evident by the sheer number of records broken about the intensity and the class of this inning by Atapattu. Her team was in complete disarray during her entire knock which makes this knock an even better one.