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AAP
AAP
Sport
Ben McKay

Brown up for any challenge at World Cup

Darcie Brown (l) has been one of the Australia's key World Cup contributors with the ball. (AAP)

One night it's a 750 gram steak, the next it's India's top order.

No matter the task, Australia pace star Darcie Brown will take it on, and come out on top.

Brown took 3-30 against India on Saturday as Australia qualified for the World Cup semi-finals with a fifth straight win in New Zealand.

On Friday night, the teenager's assignment was of a different order: a monster steak.

"I was a bit late to dinner and the girls had already looked at the menu and saw the challenge," Brown told cricket.com.au.

"They said 'give it a crack' and Shooter would give me 50 bucks. I thought 'why not'.

"It was only $2 extra than a regular steak. I gave it a crack. I was pretty hungry.

"I struggled towards the end. The steak was pretty easy but as soon as I got to the chips and onion rings I felt a bit full.

"I powered through."

The next morning?

"A light breakfast," she said.

"I felt pretty good which is surprising. I went to bed pretty early ... I was in a bit of a food coma."

The escapades were posted on Instagram, complete with Brown holding up her empty plate and a sheepish smile.

Captain Meg Lanning AE who found form against India with an innings-anchoring 97 -- said she approved of the diet so long as the wickets kept coming.

"She's a young growing girl so she needs her food," Lanning said.

"If she's gonna bowl like that, I think she should have a 750 gram steak before every game."

Brown's emergence as the game's next pace superstar has been thrilling to watch in New Zealand.

Just a year into her ODI career she has been charted as the second fastest bowler at the tournament, behind only Kiwi speedster Lea Tahuhu.

Brown has warmed into the campaign after 0-40 and a dropped catch in the opener against England.

Against the White Ferns, she played a match-turning hand with 3-22, including the wickets of opener Suzie Bates and in-form Amelia Kerr.

At Eden Park, she removed the top three on the Indian card as Australia snared a six-wicket win with three balls left.

Brown, who turned 19 last week, has been rested in between games to protect her development, missing dates with Pakistan and West Indies.

If that pattern holds, she will watch Tuesday's match against South Africa -- also unbeaten at the World Cup -- before returning against Bangladesh on Friday.

Lanning said Brown had been delivering on the brief.

"She's coming in bowling fast and taking early wickets and we've seen in this tournament if you can do that you can put teams under pressure," she said.

"She's keeping it really simple. It's really exciting to watch and hopefully she can continue to do that."

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