The Australian skipper has executed superb back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership 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 perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since data was initially taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.
The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place
Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted 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 Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their shout.
The reinstated Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
Instead, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”
