Healy Blasts a Second Ton to Power Australia into World Cup Final Four

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

The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the duo put on 202 followed perhaps the team'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 six catches that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.

Since data was initially taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented 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 while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain said.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated side top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to 13.

A batter's 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”

Paul Williams
Paul Williams

A tech journalist and innovation strategist with over a decade of experience covering Canadian startups and digital policy.