The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.
Healy finished not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the duo put on 202 came after possibly the team's weakest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for dropping two of the half-dozen catches that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” she added.
From the time data was initially recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot
The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Thrive as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”
