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Who would have predicted that: Phillip Hughes shows class with ton on ODI debut against Sri Lanka

Australia's Phillip Hughes in action

©Reuters

In our feature series - Who would have predicted that? – we are looking back at matches where there were big upsets or extraordinary individual performances that turned matches on their head.

Phillip Hughes became the first and the only Australian batsman to score a century on ODI debut as he helped Australia to a massive 107-run victory with a stunning 112-run hand.

Sri Lanka's 2012-13 tour of Australia was not panning out well for the visitors. After having lost a one-sided Test series 0-3, they reached Melbourne for the first ODI of the five-match series.

Match Summary

Australia 305/5 (50 overs) - Phillip Hughes 112 (129), George Bailey 89 (79); Nuwan Kulasekara 1/53 (10), Angelo Mathews 1/46 (8)

Sri Lanka 198 (40 overs) - Dinesh Chandimal 73 (95), Tillakaratne Dilshan 51 (70); Clint McKay 4/33 (8), Mitchell Johnson 2/43 (9)

Result - Australia won by 107 runs

It came as a good opportunity for Australia to test their youngsters and they seemed to be distributing caps magnanimously that day. Aaron Finch, Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja made their ODI debuts in the game as Australia batted first.

Finch and Khawaja could not make the best of the opportunity as they were dismissed for 16 and 3 respectively, but Phillip Hughes repaid the faith of the selectors instantly with a silky 112-run knock off 129 deliveries, which included 14 fours.

Hughes' 140-run partnership with George Bailey ensured that Australia were in complete control of the match. Bailey and David Hussey also played fine hands as the hosts posted 305 runs on the board.

Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Aaron Finch, 10.5 ov), 2-72 (Usman Khawaja, 15.4 ov), 3-212 (Phillip Hughes, 38.6 ov), 4-241 (George Bailey, 42.4 ov), 5-248 (Glenn Maxwell, 43.6 ov)

As expected, the Sri Lankan batsmen could not stand up to the total and were bowled out for just 198 runs in 40 overs. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal scored half-centuries for them but there was not a lot of support from the fellow batsmen.

Phillip Hughes was rightfully awarded the Man of the Match for his ton on debut as the youngster gave a glimpse of his capability in his very first international white-ball appearance.

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Upul Tharanga, 2.6 ov), 2-17 (Mahela Jayawardene, 5.2 ov), 3-111 (Tillakaratne Dilshan, 25.1 ov), 4-128 (Angelo Mathews, 29.2 ov), 5-128 (Lahiru Thirimanne, 29.3 ov), 6-167 (Jeevan Mendis, 34.6 ov), 7-169 (Dinesh Chandimal, 35.4 ov), 8-194 (Thisara Perera, 38.5 ov), 9-198 (Nuwan Kulasekara, 39.5 ov), 10-198 (Ajantha Mendis, 39.6 ov)

Teams

Australia - Phillip Hughes, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, George Bailey (c), David Hussey, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty

Sri Lanka - Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene (c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis