Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 followed possibly the team's weakest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six catches that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” she added.
Since data was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's target remained manageable.
The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.
The recalled Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Stars
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”
