By Ian Ransom
(Reuters) – Opener Alyssa Healy bludgeoned England’s bowlers in a furious 170 as Australia set a mammoth victory target of 357 in the Women’s World Cup final in Christchurch on Sunday.
Four days after smashing 129 in the semi-final against West Indies, wicketkeeper-batter Healy blasted 26 fours in a belligerent 138-ball knock at Hagley Oval as six-times champions Australia finished on 356 for five after England won the toss and elected to field.
Healy anchored 100-run partnerships with fellow opener Rachael Haynes (68) and number three Beth Mooney (62) before finally being stumped by Amy Jones off seamer Anya Shrubsole.
Healy strolled off to a standing ovation at 316 for two, having again burnished her record as the ultimate big-game performer, two years after scoring a 39-ball 75 in the 2020 T20 World Cup final against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Barring a few testing overs from the seamers at the start, it was a poor innings in the field for Heather Knight’s team.
A golden chance to run out Haynes for 19 went begging due to a weak throw to the wicketkeeper’s end.
A review for an lbw decision was wasted when Healy, on 30, nicked spinner Sophie Ecclestone onto her pads.
Seamer Kate Cross was let down twice in four balls by her team mates, with Haynes dropped for 47 and Healy for 41.
England finally had a breakthrough when Haynes top-edged Ecclestone to be caught at backward point by Tammy Beaumont for 68.
Healy cut Shrubsole for a single to bring up her fifth ODI century.
She yelped in delight as beaming husband Mitchell Starc, the Australian men’s fast bowler, clapped in the crowd.
Healy and Mooney continued to pile on the pain for England.
Healy was dropped on 136 at short fine leg by a leaping Beaumont after trying to ramp Nat Sciver.
Soon after, she smashed three consecutive fours off the hapless Ecclestone, the first lofted boundary over the covers bringing up her 150.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Stephen Coates)
