Southern Stars seal series 3-0

Full Scorecard

Captain Meg Lanning and opener Nicole Bolton have led the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars to a comfortable win in the third one-day international against Pakistan, sealing a three-nil series victory for the home side.

The pair put on 135 for the second wicket after the Australian bowlers restricted Pakistan to 1-189 off their 50 overs.

Spin-bowling allrounder Jess Jonassen again stole the show with the ball, grabbing three wickets as the hosts kept Pakistan to 8-189 from their 50 overs - a target the Southern Stars would have considered well and truly manageable after chasing down 122 inside 25 overs in Sunday's rain-affected encounter.

The Australian bowlers were forced to work hard in the early going, as openers Rene Farrell and Julie Hunter were economical without snaring that crucial first-up wicket.

Marina Iqbal and Javeria Khan put on 41 at the top of the order before Sarah Coyte got the breakthrough, a bottom edge from a slog sweep held expertly by Alyssa Healy behind the stumps.

Iqbal was then joined in the middle by Pakistan’s leading run-scorer Bismah Maroof and the two went about lifting the scoring rate.

But just as she did in the second ODI, Jonassen entered the attack and had an immediate effect.

After a strong lbw appeal was turned down in her first over, Jonassen took matters into her own hands, a flighted delivery crashing into the stumps of the charging Iqbal (38).

Quick Single: Jonassen filling big shoes in style

The Queenslander managed another two wickets to finish with match figures of 3-37 and top the series wicket-takers list with nine.

Debutant Kirsten Beams opened her international account, trapping Maroof in front for 36.

Farrell and Coyte also chipped in with two scalps apiece to complete an impressive all-round bowling display.

With 190 required, the Stars got off to a horror start, as Alyssa Healy found herself cruelly run-out at the non-strikers’ end after a Bolton straight drive brushed the bowler's fingers and dislodged first one bail, and then the other to continue the opener's disappointing series with the bat.

Lanning’s arrival at the crease had no immediate effect on the home side’s run-rate, as she and partner Bolton failed to find the gaps with a series of full-blooded drives.

The introduction of spinner Sadia Yousuf broke the shackles somewhat for the pair, one boundary to each of them seeing nine runs off the 12th over and a definite change in mindset.

With momentum on their side, Bolton and Lanning upped the tempo considerably, their combination of deft touch and brutal hitting seeing 99 runs come from the next 13 overs.

Lanning’s departure for 78, caught at long on off the bowling of Iqbal, slowed the Southern Stars’ chase slightly but not enough to prevent the inevitable, as Bolton (81 off 93) and Alex Blackwell (23 off 21) completed the formalities after 33 overs.

Bolton's knock also earned the 25-year-old player of the match honours, while the only concern for the world champions was a hand injury to Jess Cameron, who didn't take her place in the batting line-up.

With the series won, and the maximum International Women’s Championship points secured, the Southern Stars will play their fourth and final ODI against Pakistan at Redlands on Thursday.

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