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Alyssa Healy has produced outstanding back-to-back hundreds to steer her squad into the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket World Cup, motivating them to a merciless 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113, coming just four days after her similarly brilliant 142-run knock that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she shared an undefeated double-century first-wicket stand with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 overs.

“I thought I was a below par behind the stumps, and probably a little bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” she said.

Ironically, the supreme expertise of Thursday’s chase as the pair added 202 runs came after perhaps the team's weakest performance in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the captain scolding herself in particular for spilling 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 luckily got the job done,” she added.

Since statistics was first taken on fielding performance statistics in 2013, the six dropped catches marked Australia’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 said.

This allowed Bangladesh to manage 9-198 after they had opted to bat first, their best-ever total in an One-Day International against Australia, with Sobhana Mostary scoring the first fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But the spinner's mesmeric continuous 10-over bowling performance, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was crucial to ensuring Australia’s target remained manageable.

Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot

Healy was thrilled to learn that the victory, which puts her undefeated side at the top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a wash-out, secures them a place in the semi-finals. “That's great news,” she said.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 balls, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 fours off the 77 deliveries she confronted as she pulled away from Litchfield later in the knock after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

Litchfield Impresses with First World Cup Fifty

Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls shortly after Healy got there off 43 balls. They went on to record the third-highest partnership by any Aussie duo at a World Cup event.

In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, the captain dropped the simplest of edges off a teammate and also was unable to hold on to a difficult skied one off another bowler. Annoyingly, she also take a clear catch off Brown but failed to review when the official rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest balls 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.

Spin Attack Thrive as King Leads

In contrast, the slow bowlers thrived, led by Alana King, whose performance could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slip cordon.

Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine overs) both contributed, while Sutherland strengthened her position as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with her two for 41, bringing her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's not out 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their highest-ever score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered straightforward by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India four days before.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a global tournament,” said player-of-the-match Alana King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate going back to the next venue to face England and the Proteas.”