The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding back-to-back hundreds to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.
Healy remained unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after perhaps the team's poorest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the six chances 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 fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time statistics was first taken on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.
This allowed Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.
The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty
The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.
The recalled Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
Instead, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Australians, but the target was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”
