The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.
Healy finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally stellar 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple 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 got the job done,” she added.
Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’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 something we’ll review,” the captain said.
This allowed the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's target remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot
The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.
The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their shout.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as King Leads
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to Indore to take on the English team and South Africa.”
