Alyssa Healy Hammers Another Hundred to Propel Australia into Cricket World Cup Knockout Stage

The Australian skipper has executed superb back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 runs followed perhaps the team's weakest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” she added.

Since statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” the captain said.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Leads

In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.

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

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”

Cory Brown
Cory Brown

A cultural journalist with a passion for UK arts, Evelyn covers music festivals and theatre productions across Britain.