Hosts Australia turned what many would have expected to be a competitive opening one day international into a one way street as the hosts put on a dominant performance against the Nigar Sultana-led side to register a 7-wicket win.
Chasing 167 for victory, the Australians achieved the mild target with no fewer than 146 deliveries left in the tank.
But the woman who struck first and made it count was none other than the very enterprising and tireless Megan Schutt who, as one found out, enjoyed a record breaking day in the field.
Removing Fargana Hoque, the opener on the very first ball of Bangladesh women’s innings, Megan Schutt reached wicket #149 of her sparkling one day career.
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Next up on her target would be Sharmin Sultana, whom she’d remove in the third over of Bangladesh’s innings with the score reading 11-2.
But by this time, and with the visitors appearing on the edge, the experienced right arm medium pacer would claim her 150th one day international wicket.
On a dry wicket that offered great assistance to seamers, Megan Schutt combined forces with Kim Garth and Annabel Sutherland made run scoring so hard for the opponents as if a sprinter had been shot m in the knee.
When it came to chasing, Australia only ever lost 3 wickets as Litchfield (77*), Perry and Sutherland ran over Bangladeshi bowlers who appeared as competitive as a teenager facing a choke slam by a WWE champion.
But as Australia extended their impressive unbeaten record at the Allan Border Field to 22 wins, lest we forget, the big star of the moment was, rather unsurprisingly the very woman who fired the opening salvo for her team: Megan Schutt.
Here’s how she explained the significance of her milestone moment in an Aussie jersey
“Pretty clinical. There’s obviously a bit of movement for both spin and pace and that’s always a really nice battle to see between bat and ball so make the most of it while you’re out there.
“But I think everyone who came on was pretty good from the first ball and that’s what we speak about as a bowling group is being clinical and playing the way that we want to play and I think we did that.”
For someone who conceded just 19 runs off her full 10 over spell, Schutt shut the door on Bangladeshi scoring and further made the contest an exhibition of accumulating dot balls.
The 33-year-old tireless fast bowler hasn’t lost any enthusiasm whatsoever for bowling quick and with usual gusto despite being around since 2012, would you believe it?
The Adelaide-born mainstay of Australia’s seam bowling bowled 4 maiden overs. With 2 more contests to go in the one day series, can Schutt take her wicket count to maybe ten in the series with something as sprightly as a fifer?
