Meg Lanning's century paves the way as Australia seal a series win over Pakistan
A superb century from skipper Meg Lanning and another strong display with the ball has powered Australia to a one-day series victory against Pakistan in Malaysia.
Electing to bat first at Kinrara Academy Ground, a record-breaking 181-run stand between Lanning and deputy Rachael Haynes rescued their team from a precarious position, with Lanning bringing up her 12th one-day ton and her first since returning from shoulder surgery, as Australia posted 7-273.
Meg-a-star Lanning strikes superb century
Pakistan's Nahida Khan defied the tourists with a half-century in reply, but as wasn’t enough as Sophie Molineux’s 4-14 helped dismiss the hosts for 123, sealing a 150-run win for Australia who have an unassailable 2-0 lead with one ODI to play.
Lanning and Haynes came together with Australia 3-54 in the 18th over, having lost Alyssa Healy (16 off 28), Nicole Bolton (18 off 38) and Ellyse Perry (8 off 28).
As the wickets fell at the other end, Lanning too made a watchful start – having been dismissed for four in the opening game of the series – taking 23 balls to find the boundary for the first time.
CENTURY! Meg Lanning, take a bow! Absolutely magnificent display from our skipper as she brings up her 12th ODI ton 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/ztNnIK9Jxo— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@SouthernStars) October 20, 2018
But once she got going, there was no stopping the Australian skipper. She brought up a half-century from as many balls before going on the attack, striking 20 runs from her next eight deliveries.
Racing her way into the nineties, Lanning fittingly brought up her 12th ODI century, her first since July 2017, with another boundary, reaching the milestone from 89 deliveries.
Deputy Haynes arrived in the middle with a positive attitude that belied the troubles of the batters who came before, striking a boundary from the fourth ball she faced and showing an immediate willingness to put the pressure back onto the Pakistan spinners.
Image Id: 90CDBB9C7126437D805BACD1A3519052 Image Caption: Lanning smashed her 12th one-day ton // PCB
She reached her own half-century from 61 deliveries, but her hopes of a maiden one-day ton were dashed when she was caught at long-on in the 44th over, out for an 82-ball 79. It ended a record-breaking 181-run stand between the Australian leaders – the highest fourth-wicket partnership for the Southern Stars in ODIs.
Lanning added another 24 runs to her tally before departing chasing quick runs in the 46th over, ending an entertaining 106-ball knock that featured 15 boundaries.
Once she departed, Beth Mooney (11no) and Nicola Carey (8no) added late runs, leaving Pakistan needing a record 274 runs to keep the series alive.
Nashra Sandhu finished the best of the Pakistan bowlers with 3-54, while Diana Baig (2-40) was the other multiple wicket-taker.
Meg Lanning: In Case You Didn't Know Me
Megan Schutt broke through for the first wicket in reply, trapping Ayesha Zafar lbw for 3; the hosts losing regular wickets as Perry and Sophie Molineux also struck.
Nahida provided the only resistance for the hosts, bringing up her fifth ODI fifty from 79 balls. But she found no partners able to stick around and when she became the ninth wicket to fall on 66 (114), the target was already well out of Pakistan’s reach.
Molineux’s brilliant start to her one-day career continued with the left-arm spinner collecting 4-14 from nine overs.
Image Id: D90384A4AF75408A8687D82B1BDB6570 Image Caption: Molineux picked up four wickets // PCB
Leg-spinner Georgia Wareham went wicketless, but the 19-year-old produced two outstanding pieces of fielding, running out Nashra Sandhu before taking an excellent running catch to dismiss Nahida.
Schutt was again brilliant taking 2-25 from eight, while Pakistan found it impossible to score off Gardner, who reaped 2-4 from her 5.1 overs.
Australia have moved to outright top of the ICC’s Women’s Championship following the win and will look to seal a series whitewash in Monday’s third ODI at the same venue.
Australia XI: Nicole Bolton, Alyssa Healy (wk), Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Molineux, Nicola Carey, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt
Pakistan XI: Ayesha Zafar, Nahida Khan, Muneeba Ali, Javeria Khan (c), Sidra Ameen, Nida Dar, Sana Mir, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Diana Baig, Anam Amin
CommBank Tour of Malaysia
Australia ODI squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
A superb century from skipper Meg Lanning and another strong display with the ball has powered Australia to a one-day series victory against Pakistan in Malaysia.
Electing to bat first at Kinrara Academy Ground, a record-breaking 181-run stand between Lanning and deputy Rachael Haynes rescued their team from a precarious position, with Lanning bringing up her 12th one-day ton and her first since returning from shoulder surgery, as Australia posted 7-273.
Pakistan's Nahida Khan defied the tourists with a half-century in reply, but as wasn’t enough as Sophie Molineux’s 4-14 helped dismiss the hosts for 123, sealing a 150-run win for Australia who have an unassailable 2-0 lead with one ODI to play.
Lanning and Haynes came together with Australia 3-54 in the 18th over, having lost Alyssa Healy (16 off 28), Nicole Bolton (18 off 38) and Ellyse Perry (8 off 28).
As the wickets fell at the other end, Lanning too made a watchful start – having been dismissed for four in the opening game of the series – taking 23 balls to find the boundary for the first time.
But once she got going, there was no stopping the Australian skipper. She brought up a half-century from as many balls before going on the attack, striking 20 runs from her next eight deliveries.
Racing her way into the nineties, Lanning fittingly brought up her 12th ODI century, her first since July 2017, with another boundary, reaching the milestone from 89 deliveries.
Deputy Haynes arrived in the middle with a positive attitude that belied the troubles of the batters who came before, striking a boundary from the fourth ball she faced and showing an immediate willingness to put the pressure back onto the Pakistan spinners.
Image Id: 90CDBB9C7126437D805BACD1A3519052 Image Caption: Lanning smashed her 12th one-day ton // PCBShe reached her own half-century from 61 deliveries, but her hopes of a maiden one-day ton were dashed when she was caught at long-on in the 44th over, out for an 82-ball 79. It ended a record-breaking 181-run stand between the Australian leaders – the highest fourth-wicket partnership for the Southern Stars in ODIs.
Lanning added another 24 runs to her tally before departing chasing quick runs in the 46th over, ending an entertaining 106-ball knock that featured 15 boundaries.
Once she departed, Beth Mooney (11no) and Nicola Carey (8no) added late runs, leaving Pakistan needing a record 274 runs to keep the series alive.
Nashra Sandhu finished the best of the Pakistan bowlers with 3-54, while Diana Baig (2-40) was the other multiple wicket-taker.
Megan Schutt broke through for the first wicket in reply, trapping Ayesha Zafar lbw for 3; the hosts losing regular wickets as Perry and Sophie Molineux also struck.
Nahida provided the only resistance for the hosts, bringing up her fifth ODI fifty from 79 balls. But she found no partners able to stick around and when she became the ninth wicket to fall on 66 (114), the target was already well out of Pakistan’s reach.
Molineux’s brilliant start to her one-day career continued with the left-arm spinner collecting 4-14 from nine overs.
Image Id: D90384A4AF75408A8687D82B1BDB6570 Image Caption: Molineux picked up four wickets // PCBLeg-spinner Georgia Wareham went wicketless, but the 19-year-old produced two outstanding pieces of fielding, running out Nashra Sandhu before taking an excellent running catch to dismiss Nahida.
Schutt was again brilliant taking 2-25 from eight, while Pakistan found it impossible to score off Gardner, who reaped 2-4 from her 5.1 overs.
Australia have moved to outright top of the ICC’s Women’s Championship following the win and will look to seal a series whitewash in Monday’s third ODI at the same venue.