The Australian skipper has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive win over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 came after possibly the team's shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the six chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” she added.
From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure the team's target remained manageable.
The Captain Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Spot
Healy was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances 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 didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against India four days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to take on England and the Proteas.”
