Ellyse Perry has been the face of women's cricket as the Southern Stars have ascended in Australia's consciousness.
Yet Perry has not played since being injured in the T20 World Cup during March. Australia won the tournament without her services for its semi and final. It just went 5-1 against New Zealand, across T20 and ODI series, with the superstar still sidelined.
Captain Meg Lanning has been a champion batsman for the Aussies, destined for all-time greatness with 16 international centuries already to her credit and unbeaten on 101 in her last match. Like Perry, she was not available as Australia beat the White Ferns in the final ODI on Wednesday to match the world record winning streak of 21 games, shared with Ricky Ponting's Australian men's one-day team.
It is a fitting nod for this Southern Stars team because like Ponting's 2003 World Cup winners, this side is stacked with quality well beyond the out-and-out superstars. Yes, Perry and Lanning have been exceptional contributors, but this Australian outfit is a champion team from one to 11 and beyond.
This winning streak of 21 games equates to seven consecutive 3-0 victories in bilateral ODI series. The run stretches back to 2018 and four of the series were away from home.
Perry and Lanning have been phenomenal during the streak; the numbers speak for themselves. Perry has averaged 60.90 with the bat, Lanning 57.13.
The leading batter, though, has been superstar opener and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy. She has blasted 1,131 runs at 56.60, with a hectic strike rate of 108.74. She has made a milestone score in nearly half the matches, with three centuries and seven fifties.
Healy was again at the fore in the record-equalling win over New Zealand at Brisbane's Allan Border Field, whacking 87 atop the order alongside opening partner and stand-in captain Rachael Haynes (96).
In the last two series of the winning streak, Haynes has not failed once with the bat. Her scores, starting from last year's home series against Sri Lanka, read: 56, 118, 63, 44, 82, 96.
Her average in that time, as the record loomed: 76.5. She is one of four players to have played all 21 games in the winning streak.
No Perry, No Lanning - no worries.
Annabel Sutherland, 18, stepped in to bat in Lanning's usual No.3 spot on Wednesday and made a steady, career-best 35 in just her third ODI. It allowed for a hitting spree in the later overs, launched by 34 off 20 balls from Ash Gardner; who has struck at 123.84 for the duration of the winning streak. Tahlia McGrath, in her first ODI for three years, fired Australia to 5-325 with 29 off 11 balls.
"It's been really pleasing that today we were able to put out a performance like that even without arguably two of the best players in the world not walking out on the field," said Haynes after the historic defeat of New Zealand.
"It's really nice to know that our depth is there and that those players are more than capable of stepping in and performing on any given day.
"We've had a pretty settled line-up over the last couple of years but in saying that, i still think the selectors and [coach] Matthew [Mott] and Meg have done really well in bringing new players into that environment.
"Throughout the time, we've seen Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, all players who have got an opportunity throughout that period and are now becoming really important players for the squad. They know what success looks like at this level, they're learning more and more about their games and most importantly, they're making a really valuable contribution out on the field. It's a really positive sign for the team and perhaps what's ahead, even though we're not too sure when our next games will be.
"I think that's probably the standout for me, is the fact we haven't necessarily relied on one or two players, there's been new players brought in and people have stood up at different times, which is really nice."
Perry bowled wonderfully earlier in the winning streak, claiming 26 wickets at 18.80. Yet Australia's leading bowler has been left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, with 39 scalps at just 12.64 from 18 matches, headlined by four four-wicket hauls and a best of 5-27.
Quick Megan Schutt has claimed 30 wickets at 19.56 amid the streak. In the 21st victory, six Aussie bowlers all claimed wickets.
New Zealand coach Bob Carter lauded Australia's extraordinary arsenal of talent.
"Australia do have depth, it's a great strength of their team," he said. "There's no surprises when you start talking about them not being beaten for three years."
The White Ferns managed just 93 in reply at Brisbane in the series finale; a 232-run victory for Australia. The Southern Stars are the epitome of dominance.
Across the winning streak, just two matches could be considered close: they beat NZ by five runs in Perth and England by two wickets in Leicester last year. All told, they have swept India, Pakistan, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand (twice), and most matches have been routs.
Six wins have been by a margin of 150 runs or more. Five have been by seven or more wickets. It is utter dominance; Ponting's side won just one match by 150-plus during its 21-victory streak.
The Aussies have not lost since October 2017: a dead-rubber defeat against England, by just 20 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method, when they'd already won the series.
Like Ponting's mighty side, there are performers everywhere in the Southern Stars set-up. It is only just sinking in for the players that they sit alongside such Australian icons, yet they have earned the right.
"It's a strange one - it's something we haven't spoken a lot about as a group but definitely we're aware of the attention it's been getting externally," Haynes said.
"I think it's probably going to be one of those things that we reflect back on and are really proud of the achievement. It's been across the course of a few years now and I think something like 20-odd players have been a part of that and contributed to the success of the team throughout that period. It's a really special achievement and I'm sure it's something we'll reflect back on in due course.
"I definitely followed the men's side when I was growing up, they had a pretty extraordinary period of success to be honest. So to hear our group compared to that, it's obviously really special. At the moment, when you're playing and you're in it, it's sort of really hard to get your head around how significant it is but definitely from our point of view, it won't be lost on us."
As Haynes said, the immediate future for the Southern Stars is unclear. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a mighty effort to play out the New Zealand series.
The upcoming fixture is yet to be determined. The incredible scenes of a packed MCG as they won the T20 World Cup seem an age ago, though it was only March 8.
For now, they have another wonderful achievement to enjoy, before trying to surpass Ponting's side and become sole owners of the record with a 22nd consecutive ODI win.
Longer term, they will aim to improve on their last ODI World Cup performance, when they lost to India in the semi-finals of the 2017 tournament as defending champions. The next 50-over World Cup is scheduled for New Zealand in 2022 and the Southern Stars will be chasing a seventh title, to go with their five T20 World Cup trophies.
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/australian-womens-cricket-team-world-record-odi-winning-streak-depth/9c0108a3-0afc-4bb5-a05d-391ec628b5fb
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