🔗 Share this article Healy Hammers a Second Hundred to Send Australia into Cricket World Cup Knockout Stage The Australian skipper has produced superb back-to-back centuries to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a dominant comprehensive trouncing over their opponents. The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to race to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries. “I thought I was a not at my best with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” Healy remarked. Interestingly, the utmost professionalism of the day's run-chase as the duo added 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s weakest display in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the captain scolding herself in particular 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 luckily got the job done,” she added. Since data was first taken on fielding performance metrics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament. “Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain commented. This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an One-Day International against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions. But the spinner's mesmeric unbroken 10-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring the team's chase wasn’t too challenging. Healy Delighted with Win that Confirms Knockout Spot The Australian skipper was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she said. The experienced captain raced to her century off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries. Litchfield Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her maiden tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup. Earlier, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to grasp a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout. The recalled Darcie Brown bowled the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ most expensive bowler, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs. Spin Attack Thrive as King Stars In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips. Fellow spinners Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel 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 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Aussies, but the target was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier. “It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to face the English team and South Africa.”