The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive win over their opponents.
Healy remained unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 came after perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping two of the six chances that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” she added.
From the time data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the six dropped catches represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain said.
It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Spot
Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Impresses with Maiden World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads
Instead, the spinners excelled, led by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”
