Alyssa Healy has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive win over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly the team's poorest performance in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six chances that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” she added.
Since statistics was first recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.
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 compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's target remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot
Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten side 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 fantastic,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.
The recalled Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 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,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”
