World record! Healy's ton seals win No.18 for Aussies

The seemingly unstoppable Alyssa Healy has celebrated her third ODI century to power Australia to an historic 18th consecutive ODI win, completing an emphatic CommBank ODI series sweep against Sri Lanka.

The win sees Australia surpass the previous record of 17 straight victories set by the Belinda Clark-led Australia side between 1997 and 1999.

The comprehensive nine-wicket win caps off a flawless display by the Australian side who have retained an unbeaten record against the up-and-coming Sri Lankans.

Healy was at her devastating best, celebrating her hundred after 71 deliveries before seeing her side home with a triumphant six, finishing unbeaten on 112 runs from 76 balls.

Set 196 to win off the back of a fighting century from Chamari Athapaththu, Australian openers Rachael Haynes and Healy were once again in punishing form in pursuit of victory at Allan Border Field.

Finding the gaps in the field with consummate ease, both Haynes and Healy appeared completely comfortable in pursuit of victory.

Aside from a blip in the 15th over, whereby Healy was given a life on 68 and Haynes was offered the same treatment just two balls later on 39 runs, the Australian duo were in complete control as history beckoned ever closer.

The 100-partnership was reached in just 13 overs, the Sri Lankan bowling unit unable to unsettle the rhythm of the Australians until Haynes fell victim to Athapaththu on 63, adjudged leg before in the 23rd over after a 159-run partnership alongside Healy.

Captain Meg Lanning joined Healy in middle to score a rapid fire 20 from 11 balls, and watched on as her in-form ‘keeper-batter struck the winning runs in the 27th over.

Earlier, Athapaththu played a lone hand, scoring her second century of Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia.

The Australian bowlers were unable to remove the danger player Athapaththu until the second-last over of the innings, the power hitter eventually dismissed by Delissa Kimmince for a gutsy 103 from 124.

 

Opener Athapaththu was able to string together handy partnerships with Harsitha Madavi, Ama Kanchana and Oshadi Ranasinghe to steer the visitors to a respectable 8-195 from their 50 overs.

The Australians were sent in to bowl after Lanning lost the toss and it took Ellyse Perry 20 minutes to strike with the new ball.

The dynamic allrounder sent down an unplayable delivery to dislodge opener Yashoda Mendis’ off-stump for three runs in the third over.

A 55-run second wicket partnership with Madavi looked like the Lankan’s biggest opportunity to post significant total in Brisbane.

Into the 18th over, Alyssa Healy ensured this wasn’t to be the case.

An ill-advised single from Athapaththu was duly punished by Healy as she scooped the ball up and slammed it into the stumps to run out Madhavi for 24.

A middle-order collapse was sparked, the Sri Lankans losing 4-19 inside eight overs.

 

Image Id: 58D180E4AB4B4454B730FE65AB0D282C Image Caption: Australia's world-record breakers // Getty

 

Nicola Carey was rewarded for her tight bowling with the wicket of captain Sashikala Siriwardena, and finished her ten overs 1-28, the best of the Australian bowling unit.

On the ropes at 5-87, Kanchana joined Athapaththu in the middle and was happy to rotate the strike in favour of the opener.

The two put on a 49-run stand to push the Sri Lankans closer towards a decent total before Kanchana slashed wildly at a Megan Schutt delivery that crashed straight into middle stump.

Ranasinghe replaced Kanchana in the 38th over with the Sri Lankans 6-136, the No.8 batter also playing second fiddle as Athapaththu brought up a brilliant century from 124 balls.

Schutt picked up her second wicket of the day to dismiss Ranasinghe for 17 and break the 47-run partnership in the 48th over.

The first ball of the next over from Kimmince sent centurion Athapaththu back to the dugout, as the Sri Lankans finished their 50 overs 8-195.

The win caps off a dominant display for Australia who romped to T20I and ODI series sweeps against Sri Lanka.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt

Sri Lanka XI: Sashikala Siriwardena, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Harshitha Madavi, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Yashoda Mendis, Nilakshi Damayanthi, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Ama Kanchana, Udeshika Prabodani, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya

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 nine wickets

Third T20I: Australia won by 132 runs

First ODI: Australia won by 157 runs

Second ODI:Australia won by 110 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by nine wickets

*All ODIs are ICC Women's Championship matches