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Alyssa Healy has produced brilliant back-to-back centuries to lead her team into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, inspiring them to a dominant comprehensive win over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113, arriving just four days after her equally impressive 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to dash to their goal of 199 runs in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” she said.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of Thursday’s run-chase as the duo added 202 came after perhaps Australia’s poorest performance in the field under the captain's stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and luckily delivered,” she added.

Since data was initially recorded on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities marked the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” Healy said.

This allowed the opposition to eke out 9-198 after they had chosen to bat first, their best-ever 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 the spinner's mesmeric unbroken ten-over bowling performance, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring Australia’s chase remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Victory that Seals Semi-Final Place

Healy was pleased to learn that the victory, which puts her unbeaten team at the top of the group table on nine points after four wins and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That’s really cool,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper raced to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest century of the tournament, and ended with 20 boundaries off the 77 deliveries she faced as she accelerated from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden World Cup Half-Century

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, getting to her first tournament half-century off 46 deliveries soon after Healy reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a tough skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also did take a clean catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the Aussies’ most expensive bowling option, going for 52 runs without a wicket off her nine overs.

Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads

In contrast, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by 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 overs) and Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland strengthened her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was made to look straightforward by a team who had successfully pursued 330 runs against the Indian side four days before.

“It's great when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to face the English team and South Africa.”