Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding consecutive hundreds to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps the team's shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.
From the time data was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe 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.
This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable 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 official turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as King Stars
In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to thirteen.
A batter's 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
