Alyssa Healy has executed outstanding back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.
Healy finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed perhaps the team's poorest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since data was first taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.
The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Stars
In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”
