Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant consecutive hundreds to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding comprehensive victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair added 202 followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.
From the time statistics was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place
Healy was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
Litchfield Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars
Instead, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against India a few days before.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
