The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.
From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Place
Healy was pleased to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The experienced captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. 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, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.
The recalled Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever 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 a few days earlier.
“It's great 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 look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”
