The Australian skipper has delivered superb back-to-back centuries to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket win over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.
Since statistics was first taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy commented.
It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their shout.
The reinstated Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side a few days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
