The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back centuries to lead her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, inspiring them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over their opponents.
Healy remained not out on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the identical Vizag venue. This time, she shared an unbroken double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to race to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the utmost professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's shoddiest performance in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for dropping a couple of the six chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily succeeded,” Healy continued.
Since statistics was first recorded on fielding performance metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked the team'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,” the captain commented.
It helped the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.
But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was key to making sure Australia’s chase remained manageable.
Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Place
The Australian skipper was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their fifties.
The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty
Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries soon after her partner reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy dropped the simplest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as King Leads
In contrast, the spinners thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.
Other spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, bringing her total to 13.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.
“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
