Alyssa Healy has delivered superb back-to-back hundreds to guide her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
Healy remained unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 followed possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.
Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.
This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place
Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Stars
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”
