Alyssa Healy Fires Another Hundred to Power the Australian Team into Cricket World Cup Knockout Stage

Alyssa Healy has executed superb consecutive centuries to guide her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her equally stellar 142 that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair put on 202 runs came after possibly Australia’s poorest performance in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for dropping two of the six chances that went down.

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

From the time data was first taken on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities represented the team's poorest fielding showing at a World Cup tournament.

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

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with a key batter scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But the spinner's spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to making sure Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the victory, which places her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said.

The 35-year-old captain raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically boundary-for-boundary towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the simplest of chances off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a tough lofted one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire turned down their appeal.

The recalled Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars

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

Other spinners Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to thirteen.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Aussies, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 against India a few days earlier.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We look forward to going back to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”

Dr. Joe Barrett
Dr. Joe Barrett

Tech enthusiast and writer exploring AI, machine learning, and the future of digital innovation.