Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant consecutive centuries to guide her squad 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 four days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.
“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six chances that were missed.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.
Since statistics was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain said.
This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s chase remained manageable.
The Captain Delighted with Win that Seals Semi-Final Place
The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also failed to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their shout.
The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads
In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.
A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the target was rendered easy meat by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”
