🔗 Share this article

Alyssa Healy has produced superb consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 followed possibly the team's shoddiest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.

From the time data was first recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place

Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Stars

Instead, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the total was rendered straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”