The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 runs followed possibly the team's poorest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six chances that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
Since data was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.
The recalled Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Stars
In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on England and the Proteas.”
