Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant consecutive centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s weakest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances 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 fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain said.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Place
Healy was pleased to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Stars
Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India four 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 Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
