Alyssa Healy Hammers a Second Century to Propel Australia into Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals

Alyssa Healy has delivered brilliant consecutive centuries to lead her team into the last four of the World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I felt I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 runs followed perhaps Australia’s weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling a couple of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately succeeded,” Healy continued.

Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the six missed catches represented Australia’s worst fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the maiden half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring the team's chase remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the group table 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 experienced captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Shines with Maiden Tournament Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls 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.

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

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

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.

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

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”

William Norris
William Norris

A UK-based lifestyle coach and writer passionate about helping others unlock their potential through practical strategies and mindfulness.

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