Alyssa Healy Hammers a Second Ton to Power the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has produced superb consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket win over their opponents.

Healy finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” she added.

From the time statistics was initially taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

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

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's chase remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated 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 experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clean catch off Brown but failed to review when the official turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and South Africa.”

Jessica Johnson
Jessica Johnson

Alex Harrington is a seasoned betting analyst with over a decade of experience in gambling industry reviews.