The Australian skipper has executed superb consecutive centuries to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive win over their opponents.
Healy remained not out on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for spilling a couple of the six chances that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.
From the time data was initially taken on fielding statistics in 2013, the six dropped opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll analyze,” Healy commented.
It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was key to making sure the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place
Healy was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
The Opener Shines with First Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean catch off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official rejected their shout.
The recalled Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her tally to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat 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 King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face England and South Africa.”
