Healy Fires Another Hundred to Send the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Final Four

The Australian skipper has produced brilliant consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 followed possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping a couple of the six catches that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” the captain commented.

It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls 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.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India a few days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to Indore to face the English team and the Proteas.”

Chelsea Mason
Chelsea Mason

Certified financial planner with 12 years of experience in wealth management and personal finance education.