The Australian skipper has executed superb back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
Healy finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed perhaps the team's shoddiest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the six chances that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since data was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy said.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot
Healy was pleased to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.
The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”
