The Australian skipper has executed superb back-to-back centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
Healy finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.
Since statistics was first taken on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
This allowed Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten 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 really cool,” she said.
The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
