🔗 Share this article Healy Fires Another Hundred to Send Australia into Cricket World Cup Knockout Stage The Australian skipper has produced superb consecutive centuries to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket win over their opponents. Healy remained not out on 113 runs, coming just a few days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to race to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries. “I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and perhaps a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll accept the win and progress,” Healy remarked. Ironically, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the pair put on 202 followed possibly Australia’s weakest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the six chances that were missed. “I felt somewhat let down with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the batting, and fortunately delivered,” she added. From the time data was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup. “Maybe it’s just that phase of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll review,” the captain commented. It helped Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever score in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions. But Alana King spellbinding unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to making sure Australia’s chase wasn’t too challenging. The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed. The experienced captain sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she pulled away from her partner in the latter stages in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries. The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 fours and one maximum, reaching to her first World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event. Earlier, during the subpar fielding effort, the captain dropped the simplest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also take a clean chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal. The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the team's costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs. Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars Instead, the spinners excelled, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon. Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to thirteen. A batter's 44 and Mostary’s unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the total was rendered easy meat by a side who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side a few days earlier. “It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”