Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant consecutive hundreds to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 followed possibly the team's poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.
Since data was initially recorded on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring the team's target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The experienced captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Fifty
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.
The recalled Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as King Stars
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”
