Alyssa Healy has produced superb back-to-back hundreds to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 followed perhaps Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the six catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.
From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy commented.
This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
Healy was delighted to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.
The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Brown bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as Alana King Stars
In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
