Cricket: The future of Australian cricket on show as Darcie Brown snares four wickets in the opening one-day international against India

A new Australian superstar has emerged as the international cricket season began against India in Mackay – she’s only 18 and has already set a new national record.

Teenage bowling sensation Darcie Brown in action in Mackay. Picture: Albert Perez / Getty Images

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

The concerns for the home team – trying to keep its world record streak alive in the international season-opener against India – were rustiness and an inexperienced bowling attack, with the top two bowlers in the world 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’ hard quarantine in the lead-up to the game, with a lacklustre opening effort in Australia’s first match since April, 18-year-old Brown showed the country’s 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-0f-sorts Perry in her opening 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.

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

She snared the opening two wickets of the game in her first three overs, and then two more in her second spell, including wickets first ball of her sixth and eight overs. She finished with 4-33 to become the youngest bowler to ever take four wickets in an ODI for Australia.

A huge congratulations to Hannah Darlington, who has received ODI cap 145 from Ashleigh Gardner, becoming the third Indigenous woman to represent Australia! #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/oR8xMqbivH

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) September 21, 2021

Yewwwww 💪🏼 atta girl @DarcieBrown03 🇦🇺 Give us a couple more aye 💚💛 #AUSvIND

— Megan Schutt (@megan_schutt) September 21, 2021

This time last year 18yo Darcie Brown hadn't even made her @WBBL debut. Now has an ODI 4-fa in her second match! #AUSvIND

— Laura Jolly (@JollyLauz18) September 21, 2021

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

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

Having only 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,” Brown said.

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

Darlington, who is only 19, also snared two wickets on debut after she became the third Indigenous woman to play for Australia. She was presented 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.

Perry was the worry after being given the responsibility of leading a pace attack which 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.

“This is as rusty as I have ever seen Ellyse Perry,” former Test batsman Brad Hodge said in commentary.

Perry had only bowled one 10-over spell in an ODI in the past three years before the game, and finished with 0-37 from just four overs after bouncing back in her second two-over spell.

The two teams will clash again on Friday.

Originally published as Cricket: The future of Australian cricket on show as Darcie Brown snares four wickets in the opening one-day international against India