Alyssa Healy has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to guide her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket win over their opponents.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after possibly the team's shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.
From the time data was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot
Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face England and South Africa.”
