The Australian skipper has executed superb back-to-back centuries to guide her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
Healy remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 came after possibly the team's shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.
From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” the captain commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 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 world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot
Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Fifty
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”
