AHMADABAD, India (AP):

OPENER UPUL Tharanga stroked his second successive limited-overs century and spurred Sri Lanka to a 144-run victory yesterday in a Champions Trophy qualifying match against Zimbabwe.

Boosted by Tharanga's smashing 110, Sri Lanka posted 285 for seven in 50 overs and then bundled out minnows Zimbabwe for 141 in 42.3 overs to stay on course for the main round of the ICC Champions Trophy.

Under the new tournament format, defending champions West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh are playing the qualifying round-robin competition from which the two top teams will advance to the main round of the Champions Trophy beginning on October 17.

Sri Lanka had earlier defeated Bangladesh by 37 runs, while the West Indies outplayed Zimbabwe by nine wickets.

Left-hander Tharanga, 21, followed his 105 in Saturday's game against Bangladesh and shared an innings-building partnership of 165 with Kumar Sangakkara, who made 80.

Tharanga

Tharanga struck 13 boundaries and also lofted pace bowler Tawanda Mupariwa for a straight six off 130 deliveries faced on the way to his sixth hundred from 31 one-dayers.

That helped Sri Lanka overcome the early loss of opener Sanath Jayasuriya (nine) and skipper Mahela Jayawardene (four).

Batting first after Jayawardene won the toss, Sri Lanka slumped to 49 for two after Jayasuriya was run out at the non-striker's end by a direct hit from Elton Chigumbura, and Jayawardene was caught behind chasing a wide delivery from paceman Anthony Ireland.

Sangakkara joined Tharanga to put Sri Lanka back in command, hitting seven boundaries off 86 balls during the prosperous partnership that forced Zimbabwe skipper Prosper Utseya to try eight bowlers.