The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back hundreds to guide her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.
From the time data was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy said.
It helped 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 compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.
The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.
The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with First Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
