Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding back-to-back centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.
“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.
This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring the team's target remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place
Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees 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 tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Shines with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”
