Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 followed perhaps the team's weakest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
Since data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked Australia’s poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.
It helped the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's target remained manageable.
The Captain Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls shortly after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars
In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”
