Healy Hammers Another Ton to Send Australia into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has executed superb consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's chase as the duo put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the six 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 bat, and fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.

From the time data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches represented Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.

It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.

Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

Healy was pleased to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The reinstated Brown sent down the quickest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose spell 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 Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India four days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face England and South Africa.”

William Montoya
William Montoya

Tech journalist and innovation strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies across Europe.

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