Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant back-to-back centuries to lead her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century 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 little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 came after possibly the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since statistics was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy said.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to making sure the team's target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Shines with First World Cup Fifty
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed 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 Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Stars
In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to Indore to face England and the Proteas.”