The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
Healy remained unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six catches that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.
Since statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed opportunities marked 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 an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. 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 bowled the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”
