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Alyssa Healy has scored back-to-back centuries to lead her Australian champions into the semifinals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing of Bangladesh.
Healy hit a glorious unbeaten 113, which came four days after her equally brilliant 142 to see off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam stadium.
This time she shared a magnificent unbroken double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in 24.5 overs.
The supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase came after perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, after which the skipper scolded herself for spilling two of the six catches that went down.
“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said after the win.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glove work and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily got the job done.”
Healy (right) and opening partner Phoebe Litchfield combined for an unbeaten opening partnership of 202 runs. (Getty Images: Alex Davidson)
The half-dozen dropped catches represented Australia’s worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup since the collection of fielding stats began in 2013.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament — we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.
The errors helped Bangladesh eke out 9-198 after choosing to bat, which was the team’s highest total in an ODI against Australia.
Sobhana Mostary compiled the Asian side’s first-ever half-century against the world champs.
Alana King (left) was named the player of the match after another sensational spell with the ball. (Getty Images: Pankaj Nangia)
But Alana King’s mesmeric, unbroken 10-over spell in which she took 2-18 with four maidens was key to ensuring Australia’s target was not too challenging.
Healy was delighted to learn that the victory, which put her unbeaten side top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guaranteed them a place in the last-four.
“That’s really cool,” she said at the presentation.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off 73 balls, which was the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries as she pulled away from Litchfield.
Earlier in the innings they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their 50s.
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six to get to her first World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43.
They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the uncharacteristically poor fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland.
She did take a clean catch off Brown but did not have it reviewed when the umpire rejected her appeal.
The recalled Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but still ended up with the expensive figures of 0-52 off her nine overs.
Instead, it was the spinners who thrived, led by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney had not dropped one in the slips.
Fellow spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look easy by a side who had chased down 330 against India four days earlier.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said King, the player of the match.
“No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on England and South Africa.”
AAP
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