‘A pleasing effort in hot conditions’ – Meg Lanning rates Antigua ton as one of her best

Lanning struck 121 in 146 balls and shared a second-wicket partnership of 225 with Alyssa Healy, after Australia had lost Rachael Haynes off the first ball of the innings in Antigua. Lanning spent 161 minutes at the crease, and crunched 12 fours and four sixes. She raised her 13th ton in her 76th ODI innings, seven fewer than South Africa great Hashim Amla.

"It’s right up there, to be honest, just because I had to grind it out and it wasn’t very free-flowing at any point,” Lanning told cricket.com.au. "I felt relatively scratchy. It was a tricky wicket, there wasn’t a lot of pace in it, and there was some spin as well.”

Lanning said she was proud of the effort both because of how slow the pitch was for batting, as well as the searing conditions in Antigua that took an enormous physical toll on her.

"It was one of my slower hundreds, but that’s what the conditions required, and to be able to bat with Midge [Healy], who was going along a bit quicker, took the pressure off a bit,” she said. “It never felt like you were in, but Midge and I spoke about working through the tough periods.

"I was able to absorb some pressure and then attack when I needed to, so it was a pleasing effort in some hot conditions. I was certainly struggling towards the back end there."

The match was also memorable for Lanning for the stunning one-handed catch she snaffled at first slip, off wrist-spinner Georgia Wareham. It was an effort that was relieving as much as it was pleasing for Lanning, who underwent shoulder surgery in 2017-18.

"It was a bit of luck, more than anything," she said. "But it was nice that it stuck. It’s nice to be able to dive and not have to worry about the landing. My shoulder is good, and has been for a while now, so it’s nice to be able to act on instinct."