Healy Hammers Another Century to Power the Australian Team into World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has executed outstanding consecutive centuries to lead her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive win over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target 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 accept the win and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 followed possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was initially taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the six dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy commented.

It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

Healy was delighted to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads

Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”

Mark Lane
Mark Lane

Elena is a certified mindfulness coach and writer, passionate about blending ancient wisdom with modern rationality.