🔗 Share this article

Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant back-to-back centuries to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive victory over their opponents.

Healy finished not out on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the six catches that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily delivered,” she added.

From the time data was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten 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 fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with First Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”