Shooting Stars secure 3-1 series win

The Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars have completed a 3-1 series win over the Sri Lanka A Women’s side with a comprehensive 129-run victory in Colombo.

After losing the toss, the Shooting Stars were sent in to bat, with Beth Mooney and Nicole Bolton setting about building a solid platform. The pair put on 37 for the first wicket until Mooney picked out a fielder, departing for 22.

Chloe Piparo (1) fell to a return catch shortly after, followed by the wickets of Bolton (19) and Delissa Kimmince (3) and all of sudden, the tourists were reduced to 4-60 in the 14th over.

With her side in desperate need of some middle-order runs, regular Southern Star Alyssa Healy put her foot down, anchoring the Australian innings amid a steady flow of wickets.

But when Healy fell in the 32nd over for a run-a-ball 73, the Shooting Stars were 9-148 and looking down the barrel of a less-than-competitive total.

Enter Kristen Beams and Angela Reakes.

The tenth-wicket pair added 75 for the last wicket, batting out the full 50 overs and setting Sri Lanka 224 for victory.

Rene Farrell got the Shooting Stars off to the best possible start with the ball, bowling Yasoda Mendis in her first over to have the hosts 1-2.

From then on it was a grind for the bowling side, Kara Sutherland and Sarah Aley chipping in with a wicket each as Sri Lanka continued to build handy partnerships.

With the match evenly poised at 3-47, leg-spinner Reakes re-entered the fray, trapping Gunawardene in front for a duck then finding the edge of Weerakkody for one.

Reakes beat the defences of Napuni Hansika in the same over and the match was all but over; Beams and Barsby finishing Sri Lanka A off to secure the 4-0 series result.