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Alyssa Healy has produced superb consecutive hundreds to guide her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a merciless comprehensive trouncing over Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113 runs, coming just four days after her equally impressive 142-run knock that saw off hosts India at the same Visakhapatnam venue. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century opening partnership with her opening partner (84no) to chase to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I felt I was a little bit poor with the gloves, and perhaps a bit as captain as well tonight, but we’ll take the win and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme professionalism of Thursday’s chase as the pair put on 202 came after possibly Australia’s poorest display in the fielding department under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in especial for spilling a couple of the six catches that went down.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and fortunately succeeded,” she added.

From the time statistics was first recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed catches marked the team's poorest fielding showing at a Women’s World Cup.

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

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the first half-century ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King spellbinding continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed two wickets for 18 runs with four maidens, was crucial to making sure Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.

The Captain Delighted with Victory that Seals Knockout Spot

The Australian skipper was pleased to discover that the victory, which puts her undefeated side 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 said.

The experienced captain sped to her century off just 73 deliveries, the quickest century of the World Cup, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone practically shot for shot towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First Tournament Half-Century

Left-hander Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, getting to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 balls soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the easiest of edges off Darcie Brown and also was unable to hold on to a tough skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but didn’t have it reviewed when the official turned down their shout.

The reinstated Darcie Brown bowled the quickest deliveries at the World Cup 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 King Leads

Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if a fielder hadn’t dropped one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (2-48 off nine overs) both chipped in, while Sutherland strengthened her standing as the competition's top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her total to 13.

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

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it doesn’t stop here. We look forward to returning to the next venue to take on the English team and the Proteas.”