Australia's tour ends with glimpse of bright future

In 2009, Kevin Rudd was Australia's Prime Minister, Avatar became the highest grossing movie of all time, virtual agriculture took the internet by storm in the form of FarmVille and Kanye West uttered the infamous words "Imma let you finish".

That was also the last time Australia's women played an international game, in any format, without at least one of Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry or Alyssa Healy in their XI – that is, until Friday's third ODI against Ireland.

The last match of Australia's seven-week journey around England and Ireland gave fans a glimpse into the future after Perry was ruled out of the series finale at Clontarf Cricket Club with a knee injury and Healy with a freshly fractured finger.

Lanning was already absent having been ruled out of the Ashes and Ireland tours in May, while Megan Schutt was another notable name missing from Australia's team sheet having returned home following the UK leg of the tour.

Spoiler alert: if Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield's breakout ODI centuries are anything to go by, the future is bright.

Sutherland, 21, was elevated to open the batting alongside Litchfield, 20.

They steered Australia to a target of 218 in 35.5 overs, remaining unbeaten on 106 and 109 respectively after Litchfield hit the winning runs and breaking a 25-year mark to record the highest ODI opening stand between two Aussie women.

Along the way, they joined elite company: Litchfield (who was just six years old in 2009) became the second youngest Australian to score a one-day ton after Lanning.

Sutherland, who hit a Test hundred at No.8 at Trent Bridge last month, became the first Australian woman to hit tons in both Tests and ODIs before her 22nd birthday.

Together, they became the first Australian openers to score centuries in the same match since Belinda Clark and Lisa Keightley in 1997.

"(I found out I'd be opening) a couple of days ago, I was pretty pumped," Sutherland told cricket.com.au after the match.

"We've got a pretty stacked top order so opportunities are few and far between, so when they come I will put my hand up and try and do a job for the team.

"It was tough at times, we had to speak to each other a little bit between overs when things got a little bit frustrating, but it was just about letting the ball come to you and playing it late."

Litchfield's half-century was a welcome return to form after a string of single-digit scores, and her first fifty of the northern hemisphere trip – topping the 46 she struck on Test debut in Nottingham.

The left-hander now has three fifties in eight matches to begin her ODI career.

Sutherland had already shone down the order on this trip, scoring a Test century at No.8 and an ODI fifty at No.7, and on Friday had the chance to show what she could do at the top.

"I love batting with Bels, we know each other's games pretty well and she can definitely see when I'm getting frustrated and I think I'm learning how to read her," Litchfield said.

"So I think we complemented each other well."

Before Litchfield and Sutherland's heroics, Healy's deputy Tahlia McGrath became Australia's 18th ODI captain and unsurprisingly, it was Ashleigh Gardner again leading the way with ball in hand, collecting 3-38 from her 10-over spell.

At 26, Gardner is already one of the world's best allrounders and her 2023 hot streak continued as she was named player of the Ireland ODI series, having already been named T20 World Cup player of the tournament in February, and Peden-Archdale Medallist as player of the Ashes earlier this month.

It is not quite the end of an era just yet: Perry and Healy have both been ruled out of The Hundred but are expected to be available in time for Australia's next engagement against West Indies in October. It is also hoped Lanning will return.

But Friday's game was invaluable experience for the players who will be expected to continue Australia's dominance once the key members of the current golden generation do join former vice-captain Rachael Haynes in packing away their kit bags for good.

CommBank ODI Tour of Ireland 2023

First ODI: Match abandoned

Second ODI: Australia won by 153 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 10 wickets

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

Ireland squad: Laura Delany (c), Ava Canning, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Jane Maguire, Aimee Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron.