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

Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen catches that went down.

“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,” she added.

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

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain said.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

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

Healy Delighted with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted 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 World Cup Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars

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

Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against India four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”