Alyssa Healy has executed superb consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the pair added 202 runs followed perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
Since data was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy commented.
This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place
Healy was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with First Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Stars
In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been even more productive 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 chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”
