Healy looks ahead following 'complete performances'

The records have been tumbling and milestones coming in droves for the all-conquering Australian team that is firing on all cylinders. 

The latest triumph was completed on Wednesday - a T20I series whitewash against Sri Lanka - which came less than a month after the West Indies were dealt the same treatment in the Caribbean. 

Opener Alyssa Healy did the damage as she broke Meg Lanning's world record of 133 for the highest ever T20I score by a woman with a swashbuckling 148no, but that wasn't the only record that was smashed during the series.

Beth Mooney pummelled a century in the first T20I to power Australia to 4-217, which was at the time their highest ever total on home soil. 

The bar was raised, again by Healy in the third T20, as the team romped to a colossal 2-226 to equal their highest ever T20I score. 

Against an up-and-coming Sri Lankan side, who displayed plenty of aptitude and at times challenged the Australians – it was as dominant a showing as the Australians could’ve hoped for.

However, it’s not this relentless dominance that is front of mind for the Australians. 

As explained by Healy, more important is the way they achieve their wins and how play as a team. 

"More pleasing than that (the 3-0 whitewash), the last two games were really complete performances," explained Healy. 

"We obviously batted really well, but I think our bowling and our fielding were really complete. 

"That’s the sort of cricket we want to be playing all the time. It’s giving us great confidence" 

The team’s record for the past 18 months is quite phenomenal. Since the start of 2018, Australia have managed to secure 23 wins from 26 completed T20Is. 

And while the team is celebrating each victory along the way, Healy admits it’s hard to really savour the success with the road that lies ahead. 

"We are stopping and reflecting upon some really great milestones that we’re hitting and that’s a really nice thing to be part of in the change rooms," Healy said after her record-breaking knock on Wednesday.  

"At the same time, it has moved really quickly, and it probably hasn’t sunk it at the moment."

With all the build up to the ICC T20 World Cup to be played on Australian soil in February 2020 – including the final at the MCG on International Women’s Day – Healy admits it’s a hard to go past that as the light at the end of the tunnel. 

"Thinking about it on the calendar, after that World Cup, sitting down in a change room and reflecting on what’s gone on in the last two years for this group, is going to be really special," Healy said.  

"We keep talking about it, that it’s building up to this World Cup and it’ll culminate there.

"Hopefully we can sit there in a successful change room and reflect on what we’ve done." 

With international T20 cricket for Australia taking a backseat until a Tri-Series between India and England in January – all eyes will shift to what is shaping up to be the most exciting season of the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League yet. 

Healy was absolute in her belief that a standout performance in WBBL|05 is a means of forcing your way into the national setup ahead of the T20 World Cup. 

"A hundred per cent, there’s probably eight or nine players that are going to be really raring to get in the WBBL and looking to force their way into this side," she said.  

"Motty (coach Matthew Mott) has been really clear that there will be spots up for grabs and I think that’s really exciting for cricket in this country at the moment. 

"I think this WBBL is going to be really, really exciting, knowing there’s a really big carrot dangling at the end of the summer for a lot of people.

"So look out for some big scores and some big-wicket hauls – I think it’s going to be cool."

Australia will switch their focus to the 50-over game, with three ODIs against Sri Lanka taking place at Allan Border Field in Brisbane next week, while WBBL|05 gets underway on October 18 with the season extending through to December.

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 9 wickets

Third T20I: October 2, North Sydney Oval, 10.10am

First ODI: October 5, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

Second ODI:October 7, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

Third ODI: October 9, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.10am

*All ODIs are ICC Women's Championship matches