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Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant consecutive hundreds to steer her team into the last four of the World Cup, driving them to a merciless 10-wicket win over their opponents.

Healy finished unbeaten on 113, coming just four days after her similarly impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she combined in an unbroken 200-run opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to chase to their goal of 199 runs in just 24.5 deliveries.

“I felt I was a below par with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost professionalism of the day's chase as the duo added 202 followed possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under the captain's leadership, with the captain criticizing herself in especial for spilling two of the six chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

Since data was initially taken on fielding performance statistics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked Australia’s poorest fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Perhaps it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll analyze,” Healy said.

It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with a key batter compiling the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King mesmeric unbroken 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maidens, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Knockout Place

Healy was thrilled to learn that the triumph, which puts her undefeated team top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a berth in the last-four. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the quickest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the innings after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Shines with First World Cup Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden tournament fifty off 46 balls soon after Healy got there off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Australian duo at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear chance off the same bowler but didn’t have it reviewed when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown bowled the fastest balls at the World Cup so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, conceding 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Excel as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the spinners thrived, spearheaded by Alana King, whose performance could have been more successful if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spin bowlers Wareham (2-22 off seven overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to thirteen.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's not out 66 off 80 balls took Bangladesh to their record score against the Australians, but the total was made to look easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “No doubt it doesn’t stop here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”