Healy Hammers a Second Ton to Propel the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals
The Australian skipper has executed superb back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” she added.
Since statistics was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy said.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot
The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars
Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”