Hughes ton sets up 32-run win over Sri Lanka
Australia clinch victory in 5th ODI to level series 2-2.
Hughes, who was man-of-the-match yesterday, became the first Australian to score a century on his ODI debut in the first game in Melbourne. PHOTO: AFP
HOBART:
Man-of-the-match Phil Hughes hit his second One-Day International (ODI) century yesterday to pull Australia level after the fifth and final match of the series against Sri Lanka.
The diminutive left-hander cracked 138 off 154 balls to help Australia post a winning total of 247 for five after being put in to bat.
Pressure reduced Sri Lanka from 50-0 at the 10-over mark to 85 for four from 25 and the tourists never fully recovered, stumbling to 215 all out and a 2-2 draw in the five-match series.
Hughes, who became the first Australian to score a century on his ODI debut in the first game in Melbourne, nonetheless admitted he found the going hard.
“I know if you do get in it’s something I pride myself on, to get that three-figure mark,” said Hughes. “When I got to 50-60 I was finding it tough to score, but I got a few at the back end of the innings.”
“Give yourself time early and you can always catch up later. It was one of those innings today. I had found it quite tough but luckily enough I got a few away at the end. We had wickets in hand and that was always in the back of our mind.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2013.
Man-of-the-match Phil Hughes hit his second One-Day International (ODI) century yesterday to pull Australia level after the fifth and final match of the series against Sri Lanka.
The diminutive left-hander cracked 138 off 154 balls to help Australia post a winning total of 247 for five after being put in to bat.
Pressure reduced Sri Lanka from 50-0 at the 10-over mark to 85 for four from 25 and the tourists never fully recovered, stumbling to 215 all out and a 2-2 draw in the five-match series.
Hughes, who became the first Australian to score a century on his ODI debut in the first game in Melbourne, nonetheless admitted he found the going hard.
“I know if you do get in it’s something I pride myself on, to get that three-figure mark,” said Hughes. “When I got to 50-60 I was finding it tough to score, but I got a few at the back end of the innings.”
“Give yourself time early and you can always catch up later. It was one of those innings today. I had found it quite tough but luckily enough I got a few away at the end. We had wickets in hand and that was always in the back of our mind.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2013.