Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.
Healy finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” she added.
Since data was initially taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy said.
This allowed the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot
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 wins and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Stars
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face the English team and the Proteas.”
