The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.
“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Interestingly, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's stewardship, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.
“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.
Since data was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.
“Maybe it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy said.
It helped the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest score in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.
The Captain Delighted with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which places her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.
Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century
The young batter Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
Earlier, during the sluggish fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Leads
Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, spearheaded by Alana King, whose spell could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Fellow spinners Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.
A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Australians, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days earlier.
“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said star performer King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face England and South Africa.”
