The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back hundreds to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 followed perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six chances that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
Since data was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy commented.
It helped Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Spot
Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”
