Alyssa Healy has executed superb consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly the team's weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
Since data was initially recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, 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 semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.
The recalled Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Stars
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
