Healy Hammers Another Hundred to Send Australia into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has produced brilliant consecutive centuries to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a dominant comprehensive win over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her similarly stellar 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 followed possibly the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen 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 succeeded,” she added.

From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain said.

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

Healy was pleased to discover that the victory, which puts 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 semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Fifty

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 stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.

“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 going back to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”

David Ross
David Ross

Evelyn Thorne is a political analyst and writer focusing on UK policy and international relations, with over a decade of experience.