🔗 Share this article

Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant 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 finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's chase as the duo put on 202 came after perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

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

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot

Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.

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

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

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

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total 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 earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”