Alyssa Healy has produced superb consecutive centuries to lead her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a dominant comprehensive win over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” she added.
From the time data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the six dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain said.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
Healy was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars
Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
