Alyssa Healy Fires Another Century to Send the Australian Team into World Cup Semi-Finals

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

The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, coming just four days after her equally brilliant 142-run knock that defeated the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.

“I felt I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 runs followed perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time data was first taken on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something 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 Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to ensuring the team's chase remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Place

Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Fifty

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding effort, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

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

Other spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to take on England and the Proteas.”