Lanning's legend continues to grow

A five-match international spell without a milestone knock served as the trigger for Meg Lanning's record-equalling one-day century in Canberra on Sunday.

For mere mortals, a spell of 27, 29, 8no, 43 and 18 might be undesirable, but not cause for serious frustration.

Quick Single: Lanning, Perry hand Stars second ODI win

For Lanning, the four-match one-day tour of Sri Lanka, where she scored 107 runs at 35.6, was only the second ODI series in her 51-match career that didn't feature at least a half-century.

Add to that her dismissal for 18 in Friday's first ODI against South Africa and the world's best batter had become a ticking time bomb.

More vexing for the Australian captain was the fact she knew she was in good form – a fact demonstrated when she posted 190 off 153 balls against Tasmania late last month, the highest-ever score in the history of the Women's National Cricket League.

On Sunday, South Africa's bowling attack became the victims of Lanning's unrelenting desire for a big score, as she blasted 134 off 122 balls at Manuka Oval, equalling former England captain Charlotte Edwards' record for most ODI tons in the process.

Quick Single: Lanning equals record with ninth ODI ton

It was a record the 24-year-old had scarcely considered, but a satisfying moment nonetheless.

"It's not something I'd given much thought to, but I do look to make big scores and match-winning scores and it was nice to be able to do that today," Lanning said after the match, which Australia ultimately won by 66 runs after rain ended play.

"It was nice to go on and make that big score.

"I've been scoring 20s or 30s for my last five games so it was nice to score big and contribute to a win as well.

"I feel like I've been in good form but I haven't been able to turn starts into big scores.

"I was pretty determined after the other night, after getting a start and not going on with it."

Lanning's knock featured 20 boundaries and was only one run shy of her highest ODI score, the 135no she scored against West Indies in Bowral two years ago.

Australia and South Africa will meet again on Wednesday at North Sydney Oval, the same ground where Lanning scored a 45-ball century – the fastest by any Australian, male or female – against New Zealand in 2012.

Lanning's attention is already firmly fixed on securing a three-nil series win.

"I'm really looking forward to it. We haven't played there for a couple of years now but it's a really good venue for women's cricket and really suits the style," she added.

"Hopefully we get a good crowd there as well. The first two crowds have been good and got right behind us."