Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.
“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after possibly the team's poorest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” she added.
From the time statistics was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place
Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days before.
“It’s always nice 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 anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”
