Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive win over Bangladesh.
Healy finished not out on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142 that defeated the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's poorest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six chances that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.
From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” the captain said.
It helped the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as King Stars
In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, 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 great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”
