Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
Healy remained not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 came after possibly the team's shoddiest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the six catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since data was first taken on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked the team's poorest 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 review,” Healy said.
It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's chase remained manageable.
The Captain Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Place
Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated side at the 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 great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their appeal.
The recalled Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Leads
In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”
