Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the pair added 202 followed possibly the team's shoddiest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen catches 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 succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy said.
It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.
The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Spot
The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.
The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’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 made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”
