The Australian skipper has produced outstanding back-to-back centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.
Healy finished not out on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.
Since data was initially recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps 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 Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”
