The Australian skipper has produced outstanding consecutive centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her similarly stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 came after perhaps the team's weakest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches 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 luckily succeeded,” she added.
From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed opportunities represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring the team's target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Leads
In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”
