Healy Hammers a Second Century to Propel the Australian Team into World Cup Final Four

The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding consecutive centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

Healy remained not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 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 not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps the team's weakest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily succeeded,” she added.

From the time data was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

This allowed the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was pleased to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars

Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”

Amanda Ali
Amanda Ali

Liam is a freelance journalist and father of two, passionate about sharing positive family narratives.