🔗 Share this article

Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding back-to-back hundreds to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the pair added 202 followed possibly the team's poorest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’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 an issue we’ll review,” Healy said.

This allowed Bangladesh 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 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 claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Delighted with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars

Instead, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

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

A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”