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Alyssa Healy has executed superb consecutive centuries to guide her team into the semi-finals of the World Cup, motivating them to a dominant comprehensive victory over their opponents.

Healy remained unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her equally brilliant 142 that saw off the Indian team at the identical Visakhapatnam stadium. This time, she combined in an undefeated double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and probably a little bit as captain as well today, but we’ll accept the win and move on,” she said.

Interestingly, the supreme professionalism of the day's chase as the duo added 202 runs came after possibly the team's poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping a couple of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the batting, and fortunately got the job done,” she added.

From the time data was initially recorded on fielding statistics in the year 2013, the six dropped opportunities marked the team's poorest fielding display at a Women’s World Cup.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll review,” Healy commented.

It helped the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat first, their highest total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the reigning champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she took two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

The Captain Pleased with Win that Confirms Semi-Final Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to discover that the triumph, which places her undefeated team at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, guarantees them a berth in the semi-finals. “That's fantastic,” she exclaimed.

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

Litchfield Shines with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 fours and a six, getting to her maiden World Cup fifty off 46 deliveries shortly after her partner reached hers off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-best stand by any Aussie pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, Healy dropped the easiest of edges off a teammate and also failed to hold on to a difficult lofted one off Annabel Sutherland. Annoyingly, she also did take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Brown sent down the fastest deliveries at the tournament so far but was still the Aussies’ costliest bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spin Attack Thrive as Alana King Stars

In contrast, the slow bowlers excelled, led by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (2-22 off seven) and Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to 13.

A batter's 44 and Mostary’s not out 66 runs off 80 deliveries took Bangladesh to their highest-ever score against the Australians, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had chased down 330 against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on England and South Africa.”