Ricky Ponting cracked an impressive 90 not out to steer Australia to an easy eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international on Sunday. Ponting hit one six and eight fours in his 106-ball knock and skipper Michael Clarke made an unbeaten 58 as Australia surpassed Sri Lanka's total of 208 with more than 11 overs to spare for a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-41, 3-74, 4-77, 5-140, 6-151, 7-159, 8-173, 9-195, 10-208.
The duo had also scored half-centuries in their team's seven-wicket win in the previous match. Fast bowler Doug Bollinger led Australia's disciplined attack with three wickets to restrict Sri Lanka to a modest total before Ponting and Clarke ensured victory with their 107-run stand.
Clarke, playing his 200th one-day international, hit two sixes and four boundaries in his 67-ball knock.
Ponting also added 94 for the second wicket with in-form opener Shane Watson (43) after the early dismissal of Brad Haddin.
Watson, who became the first batsman to complete 1,000 runs in one-dayers this year, was bowled by paceman Lasith Malinga after hitting one six and four boundaries in his 51-ball knock.
Bollinger was earlier superbly backed by fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, who bagged two wickets apiece.
Former captain Kumar Sangakkara top-scored for Sri Lanka with a patient 52, hitting just one six and one four in his 85-ball knock. He added 63 for the fifth wicket with Angelo Mathews (35).
Lower-order batsman Nuwan Kulasekara helped Sri Lanka cross the 200-mark with a brisk 31-ball 34.
Sangakkara fell just when he looked like stepping up the run-rate, caught by Johnson at long-on while attempting a big shot off spinner David Hussey in the 37th over.
Australia gained the upper hand when they reduced Sri Lanka to 77-4, with Lee, Johnson, Bollinger and left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty taking one wicket each.
Skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (24), Mahela Jayawardene (17) and Upul Tharanga (13) all got starts, but none could play a big knock.
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SRI LANKA:
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U. Tharanga c Haddin b Johnson 13
T. Dilshan b Lee 24
Sangakkara c Johnson b D. Hussey 52
Jayawardene c Hussey b Doherty 17
D. Chandimal c Haddin b Bollinger 1
A. Mathews c M. Hussey b Bollinger 35
J. Mendis c Bollinger b Lee 5
N. Kulasekara c Clarke b Watson 34
L. Malinga c Ponting b Bollinger 0
R. Herath lbw b Johnson 9
A. Mendis not out 7
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Extras: (lb2, nb1, w8) 11
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Total: (for all out; 49.3 overs) 208
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Bowling: Lee 10-0-50-2 (w3), Bollinger 10-2-35-3 (w1), Watson 5.3-0-29-1, Johnson 9-1-34-2 (w1), Doherty 10-0-43-1 (nb1, w2), D. Hussey 5-0-15-1 (w1).
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AUSTRALIA:
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S. Watson b Malinga 43
B. Haddin c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 7
R. Ponting not out 90
M. Clarke not out 58
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Extras: (lb2, nb1, w10) 13
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Total: (for two wickets; 38.2 overs) 211
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Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Haddin), 2-104 (Watson).
Bowling: Malinga 8-0-45-1 (nb1, w9), Kulasekara 7-1-38-1, Mathews 3-0-18-0, Herath 8.2-0-57-0 (w1), A. Mendis 6-0-23-0, J. Mendis 3-0-12-0, Dilshan 3-0-16-0.
Result: Australia win by eight wickets
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Tony Hill (NZL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
TV umpire: Asad Rauf (PAK)
Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)
Third one-dayer: Hambantota (Tuesday).