Healy heroics lead Aussies into World Cup final

Alyssa Healy hammered a brilliant century as Australia sealed their place in the World Cup final, thrashing West Indies by 157 runs in the first semi-final at the Basin Reserve.

Healy, who smacked 129 off 107 balls, joined with opening partner Rachael Haynes (85) to pile the misery on West Indies in gloomy conditions in Wellington, their record-breaking 216-run stand laying the foundation for a monster 3-305 off a reduced 45 overs.

The Windies never looked threatening in response, captain Stafanie Taylor top-scoring with 48 as they were restricted to 8-148 from 37 overs, their innings coming to a premature close with injured pair Anisa Mohammed and Chinelle Henry unable to bat.

Australia will now play for their seventh one-day World Cup title when they meet the winner of Thursday's second semi-final between South Africa and England on Sunday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

After play was delayed for almost two hours due to light drizzle, Windies skipper Taylor called correctly at the toss and unsurprisingly sent Australia into bat, with the Basin Reserve still shrouded in mist.

But Healy and Haynes saw off the tricky new-ball spell from Shamilia Connell and Henry, reaching 0-37 at the end of the nine-over power play.

Healy was initially the more sedate of the Australian pair, scoring just 11 from her first 29 deliveries, with her first boundary not coming until the 11th over.

But the right-hander remained patient and as the Windies turned to their spinners – and as the clouds finally gave way to the afternoon Wellington sun – she started to cash in.

Haynes was the first to reach a half-century, from 66 balls, with Healy raising the bat later in the same over, her milestone coming off 66 deliveries.

Defying her recent form at the picturesque Wellington ground, where she had hit 38 runs in four outings this tournament, Healy slammed her foot on the accelerator, hammering her next 50 runs off just 28 balls.

A six over long off from a waist-high no-ball followed by a straight four took her into the nineties, before she brought up her fourth ODI century, and her first in a World Cup, off 91 balls.

The Windies had no answers as Healy and Haynes passed 200 runs in the 32nd over, and as errors increasingly crept into their fielding, things went from bad to worse when veteran spinner Mohammed was stretchered from the ground with what looked to be a severe hamstring injury.

Healy's monster knock finally ended on 129 when she was caught off the bowling of Connell in the 33rd over, drawing a close a 107-ball innings featuring 17 fours and a single six, and ending a 216-run stand.

While Healy was at her imperious best, Haynes enjoyed a blessed run at the other end as she passed 400 runs for the tournament; dropped multiple times before her luck finally ran out on 85, denying her a second hundred for this event.

Ashleigh Gardner was promoted to No.3 as Australia looked to make the most of an imposing platform, and while she added just 12, Beth Mooney (43no from 31) and Meg Lanning (26no from 26) combined to put on 69 from the final nine overs, taking Australia to 3-305.

If the West Indies were going to pull off a miracle world record chase – and in just 45 overs – it was going to take something special from the 'big three' of Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews and Taylor.

Dottin started the innings with a well-struck boundary off Darcie Brown, but soon lost opening partner Rashada Williams (0) when a leaping Mooney held on to a one-handed screamer at square leg.

A change in bowling to Tahlia McGrath in the 10th over conjured up the key scalp of Dottin for 34, well caught by Annabel Sutherland at long on.

Matthews struggled to break the shackles during a 44-run stand with skipper Taylor, the pressure paying off for Australia as she skied a catch off left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen (2-14), departing for a 49-ball 34.

As the required run rate crept to more than two a ball, Shemaine Campbell (8), Chedean Nation (7) and Kycia Knight (0) departed in quick succession.

Taylor, as she so often does, provided the sole resistance for her team, facing 75 deliveries for 48 before her dismissal to Alana King sealed Australia's spot in the decider.

Australia were without Ellyse Perry in the semi-final, after she failed to overcome back spasms, but the star allrounder was spotted facing throwdowns in the Basin Reserve nets during Australia's fielding innings, and remains a chance to line up in Sunday's final.

The Windies had also suffered a blow on match eve when leg-spinner Afy Fletcher tested positive to COVID-19.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Jessica Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

West Indies XI: Deandra Dottin, Rashada Williams, Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor (c), Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Chedean Nation, Anisa Mohammed, Kycia Knight, Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, Shamilia Connell

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington. Travelling reserves: Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne

Australia's World Cup 2022 fixtures

Mar 5: Beat England by 12 runs

Mar 8: Beat Pakistan by seven wickets

Mar 13: Beat New Zealand by 141 runs

Mar 15: Beat West Indies by seven wickets

Mar 19: Beat India by six wickets

Mar 22: Beat South Africa by five wickets

Mar 25: Beat Bangladesh by five wickets

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Semi-finals

Mar 30: Australia beat West Indies by 157 runs

Mar 31: South Africa v England, Hagley Park, Christchurch, 12pm AEDT

Final

Apr 3: Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEST

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports