The Australian skipper has executed outstanding back-to-back centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant comprehensive win over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's shoddiest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six chances that went down.
“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 initially taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” the captain said.
This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.
Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The recalled Brown bowled the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days before.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
