Healy Fires a Second Ton to Power the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals
The Australian skipper has produced outstanding consecutive hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.
âI thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well today, but weâll accept the two points and move on,â she said.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 followed possibly the team's shoddiest display in the field under Healyâs leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
âI was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,â Healy continued.
From the time data was initially recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the six dropped catches represented the team's poorest fielding display at a Womenâs World Cup.
âMaybe itâs just that time of the competition â weâve been here a while, and itâs something weâll analyze,â the captain commented.
It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to ensuring the team's chase wasnât too challenging.
The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, 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 berth in the last-four. âThat's great news,â she said.
The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century
Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but didnât have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadnât missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to 13.
A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days before.
âIt's fantastic when youâve got the âQâ beside your name in a World Cup,â said star performer King. âNo doubt it doesnât stop here. We look forward to going back to Indore to face the English team and the Proteas.â