Australia on verge of becoming 'greatest team ever'

There is no pretence about what the Australian Women’s Cricket Team are setting out to achieve in their current period of dominance.

As stated by Beth Mooney after her century in the first T20 International against Sri Lanka, "we want to be the greatest team ever".

There will be further opportunity to strengthen their case in the upcoming Commonwealth Bank ODI series to be played against the Sri Lankans.

Should Australia manage to prevail in each of the three one-dayers at Allan Border Field, they will overtake the similarly dominant Australian team of Belinda Clark’s era to record the longest winning streak in women’s ODI history.

From December 1997 until February 1999, the Clark-captained side secured 17 consecutive ODI victories – winning the 1997 World Cup in India along the way.

Image Id: A3ABF6C4E3844FFFAB52BA422AAFA2FF Image Caption: Belinda Clark led Australia to 17 straight ODI wins in 1997-1999 // Getty

Australia are currently enjoying a 15-match winning stretch in the 50-over format that began in March 2018.

Their last one-day defeat was in October 2017, against England in Coffs Harbour. Since, they've gone undefeated through a tour of India in March 2018, Australia have since recorded a further four consecutive bilateral ODI series sweeps to keep the streak alive.

To make Sri Lanka's task of ending their hosts' dominant run even more daunting, Australia have never lost a 50-over match at Allan Border Field in the nine games they’ve played there.

Australia will also overtake another Clark-led streak, of 16 games between February 1999 and December 2000, and India's sequence of 16 straight victories between February 2016 and May 2017, should they win all three of their upcoming ODIs against the Lankans.

The all-time record across both men's and women's cricket, set by a formidable Ricky Ponting-led Aussie side in 2003 when they won 21 consecutive ODIs, would then be in their sights.

Their next 50-over encounter after the Sri Lanka series will a three-match series in South Africa in March-April next year.

Alyssa Healy, speaking after her record-breaking 148 not out in the final T20 against Sri Lanka, doesn't foresee Australia having any problems adjusting to the longer format of the game.

"I don’t think there will be any issues at all," she said. "It’s a format we’ve been really consistent at over a long period of time.

"It’s just about going through the gears a little bit more and giving yourself a little bit more time to get in with the bat."

Healy believes her teammates will jump at the opportunity for valuable time in the middle. 

"The one-day format, I’m really enjoying spending some time at the crease and being able to build an innings which is something that I’m slowly learning at an older age," said the keeper.

"And obviously with the ball, the bowlers enjoy having a longer spell.

"Playing up in Brisbane, we always get good crowd up there as well, so I think it’s going to be good fun."

CommBank Series v Sri Lanka

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns (T20I only), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Sri Lanka T20I squad: Chamari Atapattu (c), Harshitha Madavi, Shashikala Siriwardena, Anushka Sanjeewani, Hansima Karunaratne, Yashoda Mendis, Nilakshi De Silva, Dilani Manodara, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandhika Kumari, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasooriya, Udeshika Probodhani, Ama Kanchana.

First T20I: Australia won by 41 runs

Second T20I: Australia won by 9 wickets

Third T20I: Australia won by 132 runs

First ODI: October 5, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

Second ODI:October 7, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

Third ODI: October 9, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

*All ODIs are ICC Women's Championship matches