White Ferns send records tumbling in big win over Sri Lanka

Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine produced a mammoth partnership. Photo / Photosport

The White Ferns have sent records tumbling in a big bounce-back win over Sri Lanka in Galle.

After losing the rain-affected first of three ODIs by nine wickets to suffer their first loss to Sri Lanka in any format, the White Ferns more than made amends with an 111-run thrashing in game two.

A 229-run partnership between Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine was the difference, with Kerr making 108 off 106 balls for her third ODI century and Devine 137 off 121 deliveries for her seventh ton.

The stand was the highest third-wicket partnership for the White Ferns in ODIs and second-highest for any wicket, and was the first time two players have made centuries in the same innings of a women’s ODI in Sri Lanka.

The pair stayed at the crease for 33.1 overs and led the White Ferns to 329-7 – their highest total in Asia.

If that wasn’t hard enough for Sri Lanka to chase, their star batter Chamari Athapaththu, who took down New Zealand with a stunning century in game one, was dismissed first ball by Lea Tahuhu, who shone with three wickets in two overs as Sri Lanka tumbled from 26-0 to 35-4.

22-year-old all-rounder Kavisha Dilhari showed some fight with a career-high 84 batting at number six, but the asking rate was always too high for the hosts, who were eventually dismissed for 218 in the penultimate over.

The third and deciding ODI starts at 4.30pm on Monday at the same venue.