Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a dominant comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 came after perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the six catches that went down.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
From the time data was first recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the six missed opportunities marked the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Pleased with Victory that Confirms Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the 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 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads
Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to 13.
A batter's 44 runs and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 against the Indian side four days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”
