Healy Fires a Second Hundred to Send the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back hundreds to guide her team into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket win over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just a few days after her equally stellar 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day'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 scolding herself in particular for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances 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 luckily delivered,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was first taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy said.

It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen 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 Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

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

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”

Janet Khan
Janet Khan

Maya is a seasoned gaming enthusiast and writer, passionate about sharing insights on online casinos and player strategies.

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