Cricket World Cup: Alyssa Healy stars as Australia books spot in World Cup final

Australian opener Alyssa Healy is a big game player and stepped up big time to guide Australia to the World Cup final.

Australia stands for the national anthems during the Women's Cricket World Cup semi-final. Picture: Marty Melville / AFP

Alyssa Healy blasted her way to a World Cup century to break the West Indies’ hearts and guide Australia to Sunday’s final.

With Australia out to erase all memories of the 2017 World Cup exit at the semi-final stage, Healy defied misty early conditions and a delayed start to smash 129 in a mammoth 216-run opening stand with Rachael Haynes after the Aussies were sent in to bat by the West Indies.

Australia finished its 45 overs, after the match was shortened, on a mammoth 3-305 on the back of Healy’s super start and then Beth Mooney took a brilliant catch in the field to rattle the Windies’ early run chase.

BETH MOONEY CAN FLY (and catch) 🔥 #CWC22pic.twitter.com/UOoymNC83y

— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) March 30, 2022

It was Healy’s first hundred for the tournament, joining Hayes and captain Meg Lanning as Australian century-makers, the fourth for her career and her first in an ODI since 2019.

Healy stamped herself as a big-game player with the triple-figure effort having also smashed a matchwinning 75 in Australia’s T20 World Cup triumph against India in 2020.

She showed her class on Wednesday by blasting 17 fours and a six in her 107-ball innings.

Afterwards, Healy said she was thrilled to be playing in a World Cup final.

“It’s really cool. It’s obviously what we set out to do, coming into this World Cup. We wanted to be there at Hagley Oval on the third,” said Healy.

“It’s been at the forefront of our minds. Today was just another stepping stone to that. I thought the girls played outstanding today, given the conditions that were thrown at us.

“I thought everyone did an amazing job.”

Healy was slow to start, making just 11 from her first 29 balls, before scoring her next 89 runs off just 62 deliveries.

She hit a no-ball for six to move to 94, hit the resultant free hit for four to move to 98 and got to triple figures with a couple of singles.

Superstar 🤩

Loves a final, does Alyssa Healy! #CWC22pic.twitter.com/7G9o2Y5a8x

— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) March 30, 2022

The match was reduced to 45 overs after rain delayed the start and a misty fog remained when the game began and Australia was sent in to bat.

Haynes was dismissed for 89, falling short of what would have been her third hundred of the World Cup, just after Healy’s exit, before Beth Mooney (43 not out) and Lanning (26 not out) guided Australia to the imposing total.

Low cloud sat over the Basin Reserve in Wellington for the early overs of the semi-final. Picture: Marty Melville / AFP

The West Indies were out to defy history and chase down Australia’s total, which was the highest in a Women’s ODI World Cup knockout match.

But Mooney’s spectacular one-handed catch left the challengers reeling. They finished the powerplay 1-39 but couldn’t overcome the Aussie attack, which combined in a true team effort.

Stafanie Taylor topscored on 48, but when she was caught by Jess Jonassen off the bowling of Alana King, the Windies were forced to end their innings early – two players were injured and unable to bat.

The West Indies sputtered their way to 8-148; not even halfway to Australia’s total.

Australia will now meet either England or South Africa in the final.