Alyssa Healy Blasts a Second Hundred to Propel Australia into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

The Australian skipper has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to steer her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a dominant 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s weakest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six catches 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 luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the six missed 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,” the captain commented.

This allowed the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to making sure the team's target remained manageable.

The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her century off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding effort, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean catch off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.

The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

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

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record total against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face the English team and the Proteas.”

Sara Gonzales
Sara Gonzales

A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with over a decade of experience in analyzing emerging technologies and their impact on society.