The Australian skipper has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant 10-wicket win over Bangladesh.
Healy remained not out on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo put on 202 runs came after perhaps the team's poorest performance in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen catches that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.
From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented the team's poorest fielding display 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 an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy said.
It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to making sure the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Delighted with Win that Seals Knockout Spot
The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she said.
The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred 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 almost shot for shot towards their fifties.
Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as King Stars
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.
Other spinners Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.
A batter's 44 and another's not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”