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Australia thrash New Zealand to extend winning streak

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3rd October, 2020
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A captain’s knock by Meg Lanning has helped the Australian women’s cricket team move a step closer to setting a record-breaking winning streak.

Lanning struck an unbeaten 62, bringing up the winning runs with a six, to ice a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in their three-game ODI series opener in Brisbane on Saturday for Australia’s 19th straight victory.

After the White Ferns were bowled out for 180, Lanning’s heroics helped Australia cruise to 3-181 in just the 34th over at Allan Border Field.

Australia are now on track to equal the ODI record of 21 consecutive victories held by Ricky Ponting’s side in 2003.

They are also out to defend the Rose Bowl trophy – the trans-Tasman ODI series crown – which they have held since 2000.

Australia can seal yet another series win in game two on Monday.

The Australian women began their stellar ODI run back in March 2018, including an unbeaten World Cup campaign in South Africa.

They have already shattered the women’s record of 17 straight ODI wins set by Belinda Clark’s Australian team in the late 1990s.

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Lanning led the way on Saturday, hitting five fours and two sixes.

She shared a 65-run second wicket stand with vice-captain Rachael Haynes (44 off 62 balls).

Opener Haynes became Australia’s most prolific ODI run scorer at Allan Border Field with her innings, taking her tally to 311 runs at 62.20.

Earlier the White Ferns were bowled out in 49.1 overs after being sent in, wilting under sustained pressure from spinners Georgia Wareham (2-23 off 10 overs), Sophie Molineux (2-28 off 10) and Jessica Jonassen (2-29), with the trio bowling a total of 125 dot balls.

New Zealand slumped to 6-83 in the 28th over before Maddy Green (35 off 49 balls) and Katie Perkins (32 off 51) combined for a 62-run stand to save blushes for the visitors.

Form Australian batter Ashleigh Gardner took three catches on Saturday but suffered a suspected finger fracture in the process.

In other injury news, New Zealand strike batter Suzie Bates went down with a suspected shoulder injury diving in the field late in the Aussie run chase.

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Teenage all-rounder Annabel Sutherland (1-33) earlier replaced Delissa Kimmince (hamstring) to make her ODI debut for Australia with her father, ex-Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland, watching from the stands.

Star all-rounder Ellyse Perry (hamstring), who has been ruled out for the ODIs, presented the 18-year-old with her first ODI cap.

© AAP

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