Alyssa Healy has produced superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair added 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.
The recalled Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, 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 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”
