Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant back-to-back hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Place
Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Shines with First World Cup Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars
In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally 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 made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”
