Cameron Green's century leads Australia A to opening victory

Cameron Green's century was the centerpiece of Australia A's successful run chase in the first one-day match against Sri Lanka A in Colombo.

Green finished on 119 and added 121 in 117 balls for the third wicket with the fluent Matt Renshaw to break the back of a testing target of 298. He brought up his century, his second in List A cricket, off 92 balls with a blistering cover drive.

Renshaw contributed 68 just under a run-a-ball, using his long reach to drive strongly over the off side, before bowled upon playing down the wrong line against legspinner Pulina Tharanga.

Green, showing his trademark strength down the ground, and Alex Carey, who unfurled his array of sweeps, then added 116 for the fourth wicket to complete the chase with 14 balls to spare. The duo had been brought across from Australia's ODI squad which will play the five-match series starting next week.

Sri Lanka A had put together a solid batting display but paid the price for none of the top order converting their solid bases.

Oshada Fernando and captain Dhananjaya de Silva both passed fifty while No. 3 Kamindu Mendis played attractively before offering a sharp caught-and-bowled catch to Matt Kuhnemann after a second-wicket stand of 87.

Left-arm spinner Kuhnemann and offspinner Todd Murphy, who removed Fernando and Niroshan Dickwella, both impressed on their first appearances for Australia A while allrounder Aaron Hardie also did a good job.

After Hardie had removed de Silva, Ashen Bandara and Dunith Wellalage ensured Sri Lanka A made good progress during the final 10 overs but Australia A never let things get away too much.

However, they were far from their best in the field with at least seven chances of varying difficulty being missed. Legspinner Tanveer Sangha missed three of those off his own bowling.

The second one-day game takes place on Friday before two four-day matches in Hambantota.