Alyssa Healy Fires a Second Hundred to Propel the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Final Four

Alyssa Healy has produced superb consecutive hundreds to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.

Since data was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy said.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled 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 place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”