Alyssa Healy Hammers a Second Century to Propel the Australian Team into World Cup Semi-Finals
The Australian skipper has executed superb consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances 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 fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
From the time data was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain said.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
Healy was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars
Instead, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”