Healy Hammers a Second Hundred to Power the Australian Team into World Cup Knockout Stage

The Australian skipper has executed outstanding consecutive centuries to steer her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a dominant 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 followed possibly the team's poorest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.

Since data was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was pleased to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest partnership by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

Instead, the spinners excelled, led by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

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

A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face England and South Africa.”

Cassandra Browning
Cassandra Browning

Elin är en erfaren livsstilsbloggare med passion för praktisk kunskap och vardagsproblem. Hon skriver baserat på personliga erfarenheter och forskning.