Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding consecutive hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the pair added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
Since data was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.
This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.
The experienced skipper sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
