Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding consecutive hundreds to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought 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 progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly the team's poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since statistics was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.
The experienced captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while 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 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”
