Healy Blasts Another Hundred to Propel Australia into Cricket World Cup Final Four

The Australian skipper has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

Healy finished unbeaten on 113, coming just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 followed possibly the team's shoddiest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The experienced skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

The Opener Impresses with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 deliveries soon after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side a few days before.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face England and South Africa.”

Megan Martin
Megan Martin

Elena Vance is a certified financial planner with over 15 years of experience in legacy and estate planning, dedicated to helping families build lasting financial legacies.