Healy guides Aussies to T20 final
CRICKET: Australia moved to one win away from reclaiming the women’s World Twenty20 title after Alyssa Healy shook off a concussion to power her country to a fifth straight decider.
Fresh off their 71-run flogging of the West Indies yesterday, the Aussies will face England in tomorrow’s final with Healy seemingly unconcerned by week-long conjecture over her fitness.
Cleared to play hours before the semi-final, Healy claimed her fourth player-of-the-match award in five games as she top-scored in Australia’s 5-142 before the hosts were rolled for 71 in Antigua.
Her 46 from 38 balls was backed up with three dismissals with the gloves, including a nifty run-out to start the rot when opener Hayley Matthews (5) left her crease after defending a ball from Sophie Molineux.
It came five days after a collision with Megan Schutt sidelined Healy with a mild concussion for the second half of Australia’s loss to India.
“I was really, really lucky. I really didn’t get many concussion symptoms,” Healy said.
“I simply had a sore neck from the whiplash ... I did all the right things as well to give my mind a break and let it refresh and replenish and go today.”
Healy’s knock kept her atop the tournament’s run-scorers’ list with 203 at an average of 67.66 and a strike rate of 149.26.
She wasn’t alone as the match swung at the end of Australia’s innings when Rachael Haynes (25 not out from 15) helped take 17 off one Deandra Dottin over to forge a competitive total on a turning wicket.
Ellyse Perry helped end the hosts’ chase before it really began, sending down a rare wicket-maiden in the third over of the West Indies’ innings to bowl Dottin with a quick off-cutter.
She finished with 2-2 from two overs, with Shemaine Campbelle her second scalp when she was caught pulling at square leg for seven at a sold-out Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
The win keeps Australia’s hopes of restocking their trophy cabinet alive against an England side, who overcame India yesterday, after dropping the World T20 in 2016 and one-day World Cup last year.