Alyssa Healy Hammers Another Century to Propel Australia into Cricket World Cup Final Four

The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back centuries to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding comprehensive trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly impressive 142-run knock that defeated hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s shoddiest performance in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling two of the half-dozen catches that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.

Since data was first taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the six missed catches marked Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe 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 the opposition to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their best-ever score in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the maiden half-century ever for the Bangladeshi team against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Spot

Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a Women’s World Cup.

Earlier, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their appeal.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was still the team's most expensive bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars

In contrast, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.

A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their record score against the Aussies, but the target was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”