🔗 Share this article

Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her equally brilliant 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's chase as the duo put on 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest display in the fielding department under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the six chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was initially recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six dropped catches marked the team's poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy said.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary 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 claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to ensuring the team's chase wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Litchfield struck 12 fours and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the sluggish 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. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Leads

In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her total to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India four days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” said star performer Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”