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Tyro tearaway helps Aust extend ODI streak

Rob ForsaithAAP
Darcie Brown claimed 4-33 as Australia restricted India to 8-225 in their first ODI in Mackay.
Camera IconDarcie Brown claimed 4-33 as Australia restricted India to 8-225 in their first ODI in Mackay. Credit: AAP

Teenage tearaway Darcie Brown has high hopes of making her Test debut next week, having rattled India with the white ball in Mackay to inspire Australia's 25th consecutive ODI win.

Brown, entrusted with new-ball duties in the absence of spearhead and mentor Megan Schutt, snared 4-33 after Meg Lanning opted to bowl.

The 18-year-old became the youngest Australian - female or male - to capture four wickets in an ODI, exhibiting remarkable composure while removing four of India's top five in her first international match on home soil.

India captain Mithali Raj top-scored with 61 in a total of 8-225 that proved nowhere near enough, with Lanning (53no), Alyssa Healy (77) and Rachael Haynes (93no) ensuring Australia cruised to victory in 41 overs.

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Brown extended a rapid rise, having represented Australia at under-19 level at age 15 then completing her final school exams while in last year's WBBL hub.

The South Australian prodigy is keen to back up in Friday's second ODI at the same venue, while the day-night Test beginning on September 30 at Metricon Stadium is another short-term goal.

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"We'll wait and see but hopefully I get a shot," Brown said.

"I haven't really had too much (multi-day match) experience. Playing with the boys back home, we play two days but they'd only be like 40 overs one week then we'd bat the next week.

"In the seniors back home as well, playing maybe 80 overs.

"The body doesn't feel too bad. I haven't bowled nine overs in a while."

Healy and Haynes shared a 126-run opening stand, while each batter reached 2000 career ODI runs.

But the triumph, which extended Australia's record winning streak in the format that dates back to 2018, was built on the back of Brown and 19-year-old debutante Hannah Darlington's bowling.

Darlington, the third Indigenous woman to play cricket for Australia, logged tidy figures of 2-29 from eight overs.

Raj lamented her side's inability to form partnerships of note and their loose bowling, admitting a fortnight in hard quarantine had been difficult for her squad after a tour of England and productive training camp at home.

"She (Brown) is quite quite a talent," Raj said.

"They have a battery of fast bowlers coming up."

Ellyse Perry struggled early on, conceding 25 runs in a loose opening spell that lasted two overs, but Brown fired out openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana with the new ball.

Brown returned to the attack to break a 77-run stand between Raj and Yastika Bhatia then removed Deepti Sharma with a bouncer.

"The one thing most coaches say to me is bowl fast and bowl a bumper, every now and then," Brown said.

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