Alyssa Healy has delivered superb consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless comprehensive victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo put on 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.
From the time data was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain said.
It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”
