Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest performance in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain commented.
It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”
