Darcie delivers

TEEN’S PACE PROVES WICKET PROPOSITION

TEENAGE bowling sensation Darcie Brown lived out a reality TV-style dream as the 18-year-old combined with a couple of established superstars to stretch Australia’s one-day winning streak to 25 in Mackay.

The worry for the home team trying to keep the world-record streak alive in the international seasonopener against India was rustiness and the inexperienced bowling attack, after the top two bowlers in the world were unavailable.

But a stunning one-two punch from Australia’s next generation of quicks, Brown and first-gamer Hannah Darlington, put the home team on the front foot before superstar openers Rachel Haynes (93 not out) and Alyssa Healy (77) helped hammer home a comprehensive win.

Australia reached India’s target of 8-225 just one wicket down in the 41st over, with captain Meg Lanning scoring an unbeaten 53 as Haynes fell agonisingly short of her second ODI century.

While superstar Ellyse Perry showed the effects of two weeks in hard quarantine in the lead-up to the game with a lacklustre opening effort in Australia’s first match since April, the 18-year-old Brown showed the bowling future is in exciting hands.

Playing just her second one-day game for Australia, the South Australian, who just wants to “bowl as fast as I can”, rocked the Indian openers who had flayed an out-ofsorts Perry in her first spell.

Given the new ball for the first time in two years in the absence of Megan Schutt, Perry went for 26 from her opening two overs before being yanked from the attack by Lanning.

On the other hand, Brown, who “got whacked” in five overs against India in a practice game last weekend, was near unplayable in a playerofthe-match performance.

She snared the opening two wickets in her first three overs, then two more in her second spell, including a wicket with first ball of her sixth and eight overs.

She finished with figures of 4-33 to become the youngest bowler to take four wickets in an ODI for Australia.

Brown could have had five wickets, if not for a dropped catch by Lanning.

“The practice match didn’t go too well for me,” Brown said. “I’m just happy to get a few poles.”

Having made her international debut against New Zealand in a T20 in March, then her ODI debut two weeks later, Brown said she was still getting used to being part of the Australian squad.

“It’s pretty surreal. I feel like I am watching the telly, but live. It’s weird,” she said.

“But it’s really cool to be in the same room as all these girls. I am pretty starstruck.”

Darlington, 19, also snared two wickets on debut after she became the third Indigenous woman to play for Australia. She was presented with her cap by fellow Indigenous star Ashleigh Gardner.

After Australia kept India to 8-225, Healy and Haynes put on 126 for the first wicket before Lanning guided her team home.

However, Perry was the worry, after being given the responsibility of leading a pace attack that boasted Brown, Darlington, and Tahlia McGrath, playing her first ODI since last October.

Bowling the first over of the season, Perry bowled six wides in her opening two overs, which went for 26 runs.

The two teams will clash again on Friday.