The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant comprehensive victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly the team's poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances 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 luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since data was first recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“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 eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.
The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team 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 fantastic,” she said.
The experienced skipper sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”
