Aussies’ streak ended in nailbiter

IT took 1294 days, but Australia’s incredible WODI winning streak was finally brought to an end in Mackay on Sunday.

They’d already conceded defeat in the sides’ ODI series, but the Indians shook off their embarrassing fielding display and chased down the home side’s total in nailbiting circumstances, becoming the first team to defeat Australia since October 2017.

To make matters worse for the already-depleted Aussies, three key players picked up injuries during Sunday’s loss, just days ahead of the sides’ Test match.

Hamstring injuries forced key batting duo Rachael Haynes and Beth Mooney from the field during India’s run chase.

The two would be huge losses – Haynes, who missed the second match after picking up a knock in the nets during the week, topscored with 93 runs in the first ODI of the series.

Mooney, meanwhile, was influential in guiding Australia out of the mire following a toporder collapse in the second.

The Aussies were clearly in the wars on Sunday.

Sophie Molineux copped a ball to the face after Haynes and Mooney had left the field but managed to play on.

Australia is already having to contend without its two best bowlers, Megan Schutt (personal reasons) and Jess Jonassen (leg injury), as well as Georgia Wareham (quad injury) and Tayla Vlaeminck (foot injury), so will desperately hope the new additions to the casualty ward can recover in time for the first day of the Test on Thursday.

The Aussies’ streak would have ended two days earlier, if not for a no-ball that gave Nicola Carey a chance to hit two runs from the final delivery of the innings and seal victory.

It was India’s turn to pull a rabbit from a hat on Sunday.