The Australian skipper has executed superb consecutive hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive win over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly stellar 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.
From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain said.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.
The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place
Healy was pleased to discover 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 berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days earlier.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
