Alyssa Healy has produced superb back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive win over Bangladesh.
Healy finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” she added.
Since statistics was first taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”
