The Australian skipper has produced outstanding consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just a few days after her equally impressive 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.
Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps the team's weakest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities 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 while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain commented.
It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Spot
Healy was pleased to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced skipper raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side a few days before.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
