Healy Fires a Second Hundred to Send Australia into World Cup Final Four

Alyssa Healy has executed superb consecutive hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” she added.

From the time data was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy commented.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place

Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”

Theresa Foster
Theresa Foster

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and consumer electronics.