World Cup 2015: Tons of brilliance at SCG

SYDNEY: After a batsman of the calibre of Glenn Maxwell hammers a century off just 51 balls what chance do the opponents have? Sri Lanka however made a decent fist of it, riding on another masterly century by Kumar Sangakkara. But unfortunately there are no points for battling hard.
Maxwell's scintillating knock helped Australia pile up a huge total of 376 for nine after they opted to bat first.That would have finished off most teams against a top quality attack; but not Sri Lanka.
With experienced players like Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews in their ranks, they took the fight right till the end. But the target proved too formidable even for them.
The 64-run win at the SCG on Sunday night has almost assured Australia of the second spot in Group A behind New Zealand and Sri Lanka are set to finish third, leaving England and Bangladesh to fight it out for the last quarterfinal berth from the group.
Both Australia (7 points) and Sri Lanka (6 points) have a game against lowly Scotland and therefore there is not much scope for their much movement in the table.
Maxwell got his maiden ODI century, but missed the fastest ton in the World Cup by merely two deliveries. His 102 off just 53 balls, with 10 fours and four glorious sixes changed the complexion of the game after Steven Smith and skipper Michael Clarke had provided a perfect platform with a 134-run partnership for the third wicket.
Maxwell and Shane Watson, brought back in the XI in place of Mitchell Marsh, built on that with a break-taking 160-run stand from only 82 balls which put the team on course to post a formidable total.
It was a great platform in front of a full house for Maxwell to record his maiden international century after falling in the 90s on no less than three occasions.

It was so rare to see him get emotional when he finally reached the landmark as he hugged Watson hard and had tears in his eyes. Finally, a monkey was off his back. More importantly, he helped the Aussies post a total which was bound to make the Sri Lankan batsmen's life miserable.
Aussie skipper Clarke played his first major knock in this World Cup when he notched up 68 before being undone by a Lasith Malinga yorker. Smith too got among the runs with 72 and looked set for another century this summer before he fell to Dilshan.
But their effort was overshadowed by Maxwell's blitzkrieg. He was so dominant in his alliance with Watson that his contribution was an exact 100, while Watson chipped in with 57.
Sangakkara set the tone for a strong Sri Lankan reply by posting his third century on the trot and during the course of his 104 run knock, he became only the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to cross the 14,000-run mark in ODIs. He had struck an unbeaten 104 against Bangladesh in his 400th ODI and followed it up with 117 not out against England. He was finally dismissed after making 326 runs in three games.
He put on 130 for the second wicket with Dilshan, but the latter's departure and Jayawardene's brilliant run out by Clarke set the Sri Lankans back. Then Sangakkara himself departed after completing his century.
When skipper Angelo Mathew and Dinesh Chandimal were clobbering the bowling, it looked like anybody's match. But, misfortune struck for the Sri Lankans when Chandimal pulled his hamstring and had to retire hurt. Two balls later, the skipper too fell to Watson. And that virtually was the end of the Lankan challenge.
GAME IN NUMBERS
51: Balls taken by Glenn Maxwell to race to his maiden hundred in ODIs -the second quickest in World Cups, next only to Kevin O'Brien's 50-ball hundred for Ireland vs England at Bangalore on March 2, 2011. In the process, Maxwell set the record for the fastest hundred by an Australian batsman in ODIs, outstripping James Faulkner's 57-ball hundred vs India on November 2, 2013.
125.48: Glenn Maxwell's strike rate while amassing 1300 runs at 34.21 in 45 matches. It's the highest by any batsman in ODIs (minimum 1000 runs). Shahid Afridi's strike rate of 116.92 is the next best.
312: Sri Lanka's score is now the second highest losing total while chasing in World Cups -the highest being Zimbabwe's 326 vs Ireland at Hobart on March 7, 2015.
160: Runs added by Glenn Maxwell and Shane Watson -Australia's highest fifth wicket stand in World Cup -the second highest overall for this wicket in World Cups, next to the 256 (unbroken) between JP Duminy and David Miller for South Africa vs Zimbabwe on February 15, 2015.