🔗 Share this article Healy Fires Another Century to Send the Australian Team into World Cup Semi-Finals The Australian skipper has executed outstanding back-to-back centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over their opponents. Healy finished not out on 113, coming just a few days after her similarly stellar 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries. “I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and perhaps a little bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” Healy remarked. Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly the team's poorest display in the fielding department under the captain's leadership, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling two of the six chances that went down. “I was a little bit disappointed with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” she added. Since data was initially recorded on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped catches marked the team's worst fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup. “Perhaps it’s just that time of the tournament – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented. This allowed the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever total in an ODI against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions. But the spinner's mesmeric continuous ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maidens, was crucial to making sure the team's target remained manageable. Healy Pleased with Victory that Confirms Knockout Place Healy was delighted to learn that the triumph, which places her undefeated team top of the standings on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said. The experienced captain sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she confronted as she accelerated from her partner later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries. The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Half-Century Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event. In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also take a clear chance off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire turned down their appeal. The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 0-52 off her nine overs. Spin Attack Excel as King Stars Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, led by King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon. Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both contributed, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13. A batter's 44 runs and Mostary’s not out 66 off 80 balls took the team to their highest-ever total against the Australians, but the target was made to look easy meat by a team who had chased down 330 against India a few days before. “It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to going back to Indore to take on England and the Proteas.”