The Australian skipper has delivered superb consecutive centuries to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive win over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the pair added 202 runs followed possibly the team's poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked the team's poorest 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 analyze,” the captain said.
It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to ensuring the team's chase remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to face England and South Africa.”
