The Australian skipper has executed outstanding consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her similarly stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 followed perhaps Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling two of the six catches that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” she added.
From the time data was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain said.
It helped Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
