🔗 Share this article

The Australian skipper has delivered outstanding back-to-back centuries to lead her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked the team's poorest 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 commented.

It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Seals Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper sped 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 accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty

The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the official turned down their shout.

The reinstated Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

In contrast, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance 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) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's fantastic 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 going back to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”