Rachael Haynes, Jess Jonassen star as Aussies secure series and 17th straight one-day win
Rachael Haynes on her way to her maiden one-day ton against Sri Lanka in Brisbane on Monday. Photo: AAP
Rachael Haynes’ maiden international century has helped Australia to a 17th straight one-day international victory and secured the series against Sri Lanka in Brisbane.
Playing her 117th match across all three formats for Australia, Haynes’s emotional 118 on Monday piloted the hosts to 8-282 at Allan Border Field before Jess Jonassen (4-31) helped contain the visitors to 9-172 from their 50 overs.
In the process the off-spinner became the second-fastest woman to 100 ODI wickets – getting there in 67 innings – and just the fourth Australian woman to reach the milestone.
Wicket number 100! JJ, you legend! #AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/q56wkqTJjT
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) October 7, 2019
Debutant Heather Graham also grabbed a wicket in the 110-run victory as Meg Lanning’s side drew level with Belinda Clark’s dominant side of the late 1990s on 17 straight ODI triumphs.
The team’s last one-day defeat was in October 2017, against England at Coffs Harbour.
Australia can claim the record outright with victory in the third and final clash between the sides in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Huge moment for Heather Graham! #AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/OB6ZTzjmJz
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) October 7, 2019
Opener Haynes laid the platform, controlling her risk-free innings expertly before falling in the 45th over.
It was the NSW veteran’s first triple-figure score in green and gold, coming in her 56th ODI and after 56 T20s and five Tests.
Haynes had earlier shared in a 116-run partnership with Alyssa Healy (69 from 62 balls) and 103-run stand with Meg Lanning (45 from 62).
The hosts couldn’t find top gear at the back end of the innings though, losing 7-63 as the Sri Lankans pegged them back.
Sri Lanka started brightly but was slowed by leg-spinner Georgia Wareman (2-29 from 10 overs) before Jonassen claimed the key scalp of Chamari Athapattu and then ripped through the middle order.
Harshitha Madavi top scored for Sri Lanka with 39, while Achini Kulasuriya (3-50) was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors.
-AAP
