Alyssa Healy Blasts Another Ton to Propel Australia into Cricket World Cup Final Four

Alyssa Healy has executed brilliant consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a commanding 10-wicket victory over their opponents.

Healy finished not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.

Interestingly, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 followed possibly the team's weakest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in especial for dropping two of the six chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily got the job done,” Healy continued.

From the time data was initially recorded on fielding metrics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding display 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 reflect on,” Healy said.

It helped Bangladesh to eke out 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with a key batter scoring the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Spot

Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten side at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old captain sped to her century off just 73 balls, the quickest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their fifties.

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their appeal.

The reinstated Darcie Brown sent down the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ costliest bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as King Stars

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded 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 (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland consolidated her standing as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to 13.

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

“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face England and the Proteas.”

Tyler Kim
Tyler Kim

Lena is a digital anthropologist passionate about uncovering how online interactions shape modern human behavior and identity.