Alyssa Healy Blasts Another Hundred to Power Australia into World Cup Knockout Stage

Alyssa Healy has delivered outstanding consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her similarly brilliant 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a little bit poor behind the stumps, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and move on,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 runs followed perhaps the team's weakest performance in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.

Since data was first recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the six missed opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy commented.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their highest score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

Healy was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest century of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the target was rendered easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side a few days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”

Chelsea Washington
Chelsea Washington

Rylan Vance is a technology strategist and writer with over a decade of experience in AI implementation and digital innovation.