The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the duo put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” she added.
Since data was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in 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 little while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, 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 Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot
Healy was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The experienced captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner 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 Fifty
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as King Leads
In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”
