Ice-cool hundred queen becomes greatest ODI chaser

In taking her team to a 20th consecutive ODI victory and to within touching distance of Ricky Ponting's once untouchable 2003 side on Monday, Australia captain Meg Lanning was also busy making history of her own.

Lanning, the preeminent ODI batter of her era and perhaps the best there has been in the women's game, was all business in making her 14th century in the format to steer Australia to a series-winning four-wicket triumph over New Zealand at Allan Border Field.

After arriving at the crease in the seventh over, she set about her task with an almost robotic familiarity, finding singles and boundaries at her choosing and moving unharried through the afternoon. Some 38 overs later she was still there, having struck three sixes and nine fours amid a chanceless 101no from 96 balls. Australia had again retained the Rose Bowl and they largely had their skipper to thank.

Even her opposing captain, Sophie Devine, who has been a picture of pleasantness through a challenging fortnight in Brisbane, cracked just a little when quizzed about the genius of the prolific Australian, who now has six ODI hundreds against the White Ferns.

"Geez, I feel like I'm blowing smoke up her," Devine said. "Look, she stays in control of her game, (and) she makes bowlers bowl to where she wants to hit the ball."

It was plain speaking but that seemed apt, for Lanning's batting is never about the spectacle.

Afterward, the No.3 labelled herself "lucky" to be the top-four batter Australia had identified as needing to see out the chase.

Of course, the numbers suggest luck had nothing to do with it.

The 28-year-old is now officially the most successful chaser in the history of women's ODIs: her unbeaten 101 today took her career run tally in winning chases to 2,125, eclipsing India legend Mithali Raj's mark of 2,036. As with most records in her career, Lanning has achieved this one at warp speed, requiring just 38 innings versus Raj's 52.

Nine of Lanning's 14 ODI hundreds have come in winning chases – the next best is three, shared by her compatriot Karen Rolton and New Zealand pair Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite.

All of the marks and milestones seem little more than window dressing for the Australia captain, who is every chance to go down in history on Wednesday alongside Ponting as having led their respective ODI teams to a world record mark of 21 straight wins.

Even repeated queries post-match about the prospect of leveling that legendary Australian group failed to excite the phlegmatic right-hander, though the mention of her childhood hero Ponting took us beyond the veil of polite indifference and offered a brief glimpse into her analytical mind.

"We go out to win every game that we play, and it'll be no different Wednesday," she began. "It's a nice position to be in, I guess.

"Growing up Ricky Ponting was my hero and someone I looked up to … I remember watching some of the (2003) World Cup, that's for sure, and I was very interested in the game and learning and things like that, so being able to watch the amazing players we had through that era was really special growing up and gave me some good tips for how I wanted to play."

Lanning's words moved from conciliatory to compelling when she explained the architecture of her run chases. Like her batting, it was all made to seem far simpler than it must be amid the intensity of the contest.

"The total is always in the back of your mind but for me it's about getting in to start with – so the first 20 balls, having good intent, putting away the bad ball and just having really good footwork," she said.

"Then it's just about batting time, and getting the tempo right; having the intent that you can put the bad ball away but just being happy to take the singles on offer, (and) build a big partnership.

"For us (today) it was just about getting to the 40th over with wickets in hand, and then if we needed to step the foot down a little bit we could, but we actually didn't need to today – we were able to keep the run rate under control and finish it off a bit early which was good."

It is a blueprint that others will doubtless seek to replicate and one that took her to 14 ODI hundreds today in her 82nd innings, a rate unmatched in either the men's or women's game.

Not by Kohli or Clark, or Amla or Edwards.

Only by Lanning, the ice-cool hundred queen and one of the greatest run chasers the game has known.

CommBank T20I and ODI series

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Deanna Doughty, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin

All matches to be played at Brisbane's Allan Border Field

First T20: Australia won by 17 runs

Second T20: Australia won by eight wickets

Third T20: New Zealand won by five wickets

First ODI: Australia won by seven wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by four wickets

October 7: Third ODI, 10:10am AEST (11:10 AEDT)

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