'We're going to go big today': how Healy flicked the switch

With a glove punch and a glint in her eye, Rachael Haynes signalled to Alyssa Healy it was game on.

Australia's openers powered their team into the World Cup final on Wednesday, their 216-run, 32.4 over partnership against West Indies ensuring there would be no repeat of the 2017 semi-final exit that had for some years haunted their team.

Healy started slower but ended the aggressor, smashing 129 from 107 deliveries, while Haynes added 85 runs of her own, paving the way to a mammoth total of 3-305 from a reduced 45 overs.

"I think the second ball today that she smashed through the covers, we glove punched and I saw this look in her eye that said, 'come on, we're going to go big today'," Healy laughed after Australia sealed their place in the final with a 157-run win.

"It scared me a little bit … I thought I better switch on and pay attention to the other end make sure I'm doing my job as well.

"To have someone like that at the other end, it makes my job a lot easier."

Until Wednesday's semi-final, this tournament could have been classed as a quieter one for Healy, who until was the world's top-ranked ODI batter until she was usurped by South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt earlier this week.

She went into the match with 210 runs at 30 from seven innings, with two half-centuries.

Now, she has joined Haynes and her captain Meg Lanning inside the tournament's top four run scorers, with Wolvaardt the sole player ahead of the Australian top three.

"I've managed to find ways to get myself out through this World Cup (which) has probably been a frustration," Healy said.

"For me today to be able to go on, and just help the team get to a big total and build a really good score on what wasn't exactly the flattest wicket going around, it was doing a bit, that was more pleasing than anything else

"It's always a bit of fun to share the crease with Rach Haynes as well.

"(But) I've been saying it all along this World Cup, it hasn't really been a one man show at any point.

"Someone was going to step up today and do a really good job for our group, and I think multiple (people) did ... so it was just really pleasing."

The knockout match at the Basin Reserve was the latest day out for Australia's opening pair, who have averaged 61.55 for the first wicket at a run rate of 5.47 since Haynes joined Healy at the top of the order in 2019.

Image Id: 61DC7D70F9F54EF88D129D28BA082682 Image Caption: Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes embrace during their 216-run partnership against the West Indies // Getty Images

It was an international pairing that may not have happened, if not for a two outstanding selection calls.

During the 2017 World Cup in the United Kingdom, Healy was batting at No.7 and deployed as a finisher but scored just 495 runs at 15.96 from her 41 international innings across seven years up to that point.

She left that event seriously questioning whether she had anything left to give the game. A tap on the shoulder from coach Matthew Mott, and a move to the top of the order, changed that.

Since then, Healy has hit 1974 runs at 49.35 in – coincidentally – another 41 innings, scoring all four of her ODI tons during that period.

"It's been a learning curve over the last five years," Healy said.

"I've had to change a few things technically over the years to stay in that role and continue to keep combating some unbelievable bowlers that that share the new rock.

"That's been a really enjoyable thing for me, that I've been able to see myself grow as a cricketer, as a person off the field, but as a cricketer, as well, keep growing and keep developing.

"Because five years ago, I probably wasn't sure how much more I could get out of myself.

"I guess to be able to see that come through, it's been really cool."

Haynes and Healy boast the highest average of any pair to have opened in more than 10 matches together in Australian women's ODI history.

Only the decade-long partnership between Belinda Clark and Lisa Keightley yielded more runs (3338 at 52.98 in 66 matches) than the current pair's 1662 in 27 innings.

It is a double act they have been perfecting at domestic level for the NSW Breakers since 2013-14, and one that was fortuitously promoted to the big time after Haynes' international career was resurrected via her surprise return to the Australian team in 2017, and ascension to the top of the order two years later.

Image Id: 95938C7E81CA4E6E84E38CC24B0C9F50 Image Caption: Healy and Haynes batting together for New South Wales in 2016 // Getty Images

"For me to walk out with Rach, who is just the ultimate calm head … she's got a great cricketing brain, to be able to bounce ideas off her when I'm bouncing around at the other end full of energy is really cool," Healy said.

Australia have their sights firmly set on the only piece of silverware missing from their cabinet, and will meet the winner of Thursday's second semi-final between South Africa and England at Hagley Oval on Sunday.

"It's exactly where we wanted to be when we landed in New Zealand, we knew we wanted to be in Christchurch on the third of April and we were going to do everything we possibly could to get there," Healy said.

"We have played some unbelievable cricket throughout these last few weeks, with everything that's been thrown at us as well – Wellington's a really interesting place to play cricket.

"Hopefully we can put it all together one more time on Sunday."

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: Australia v TBC, Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEST

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