Haynes’ maiden ton guides Aussies to 17th consecutive win

Vice-captain Rachael Haynes’ maiden ton guided Australia to their 17^th consecutive victory as the hosts beat Sri Lanka by 110 runs in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Monday (October 7).

After playing 117 matches in green and gold since her debut in 2009, Haynes brought up triple figures for the first time in the 50-over format to power Australia to a challenging total of 282 for the loss of eight wickets after the hosts opted to bat first. The vice-captain and her opening partner, wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy, broke the shackles of dot ball pressure and combined for a 116-run stand.

Sri Lanka skipper Shashikala Siriwardene put a break on the scoring when she got the breakthrough of Healy, on 69, when the opener holed out to long-off. Haynes, however, carried on with the momentum and stitched another 103 run-stand with her skipper Meg Lanning.

Achini Kulasuriya gave the frustrated visitors a sigh of relief as Lanning edged behind five shy of her fifty before Haynes brought up her maiden ton with a thrashing square drive. The relief on the left-hander's face was evident as the crowd and her teammates rose in unison to applaud the left-hander's mammoth effort.

After the celebrations subsided, Siriwardene returned to send Ellyse Perry back cheaply for five. Soon after, Haynes' entertaining innings came to an end for a career-best 118 from 132 balls, in the 45^th over, when she was caught at deep square leg off the bowling of Sugandika Kumari.

With both Perry and Ashleigh Gardner (8) falling in quick succession, debutant Heather Graham, who received her ODI cap from Elyse Villani before the toss, joined Beth Mooney.

Mooney chipped in with 18 runs before becoming Kulasuriya's third victim. Nicola Carey (5) and Jess Jonassen (2), too, were dismissed without pushing the score much, while Graham remained unbeaten on four. For Sri Lanka, Kulasuriya returned with three wickets, while Siriwardene and Sugandika picked up two wickets each.

In reply, the misery continued for Sri Lanka as Jonassen got the big wicket of Chamari Atapattu (14) who mistimed the ball and was caught at deep backward square leg in the eighth over. Anushka Sanjeewani was joined by Harshitha Madavi and the duo rebuilt the Sri Lankan innings with their 70-run stand for the second wicket before Carey bowled Sanjeewani  for 36.

The visitors lost two more wickets — Dilani Manodara (7) and set batter Madavi (39) — in quick succession, leaving Siriwardene helpless. Unable to find support on the other end, the under-pressure Sri Lanka skipper was bowled by Georgia Wareham for 22. The chase was too much for Sri Lanka and the side was restricted to 172 for the loss of nine wickets.

For Australia, Jonassen was the pick of bowlers as she returned with four wickets and along the way completed her 100 ODI wickets. Wareham took two wickets, while debutant Graham, Carey and Tayla Vlaeminck got one apiece.

 

Brief scores: Australia 282/8 in 50 overs (Rachael Haynes 118, Alyssa Healy 69, Achini Kulasuriya 3-50, Sashikala Siriwardene 2-41) beat Sri Lanka 172/9 in 50 overs (Harshitha Madavi 39, Anushka Sanjeewani 36, Jess Jonassen 4-31, Georgia Wareham 2-29) by 110 runs. PoM: Rachael Haynes.