Healy Hammers a Second Ton to Power the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding back-to-back centuries to steer her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a merciless comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place

Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls 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 fifties.

The Opener Impresses with First Tournament Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads

In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's fantastic 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 anticipate returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”

James Morris
James Morris

A passionate UK-based gamer and tech writer with over a decade of experience covering the gaming industry and community trends.