Alyssa Healy has executed superb back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a dominant comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 came after possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
Since data was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot
Healy was pleased to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.
The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Stars
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
