The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a dominant comprehensive victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot
Healy 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 berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Stars
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her position 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 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to Indore to face the English team and the Proteas.”
