The Australian skipper has executed outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the semi-finals 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 a few days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair added 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” she added.
Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the six missed opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The experienced skipper sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.
The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia 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 top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”
