Alyssa Healy hits record-breaking hundred as Australia win World Cup | The Cricketer (2024)

Nat Sciver hit a fine century of her own in reply, but Meg Lanning's side came out on top in a match they dominated for the most part

Christchurch: Australia 356-5, England 285 - Australia win by 71 runs

Scorecard

Alyssa Healy smashed the highest score in World Cup final history as Australia overcame England, the 2017 champions, despite the best efforts of Nat Sciver.

She made 170 off just 138 deliveries in a remarkable knock that featured 26 fours, with Heather Knight's side – looking to become the first England team to retain a world title – left devoid of answers to her assault, although Sciver produced a defiant unbeaten century in response.

Healy, who hit three consecutive boundaries two overs in a row, was well supported by Rachael Haynes (68), with whom she put on 160 for the first wicket, before Beth Mooney (62) was promoted up the order to maintain that impetus.

In the process, Healy – whose innings exceeded Adam Gilchrist's 149 in 2007 against Sri Lanka as the top score in a final and was also the highest score by a wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs – and Haynes both surpassed Debbie Hockley's previous record for the most runs scored in a single Women's World Cup.

It meant that Ellyse Perry, playing as a specialist batter, was only required at No.7 for a late cameo, while Meg Lanning also shunted herself down the order beneath Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner as Australia racked up 356 for 5, the highest score in a World Cup final.

^{Nat Sciver smashed a terrific century for England, albeit in vain (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)}

Earlier, England had won the toss and elected to field, citing the life in a fresh pitch and the possibility of evening dew at Hagley Oval, where Knight's charges had beaten South Africa in their semi-final.

But the decision backfired, with Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole unable to break through with the new ball, allowing Healy and Haynes to settle and steadily build a platform from which to ignite.

Healy's knock wasn't quite chanceless, however: she was dropped on 41 by Sciver at midwicket in the same over that Danni Wyatt put down an opportunity at backward point to dismiss Haynes, who had previously been fortunate to survive a runout chance to Sophia Dunkley. And Healy was put down again on 136, this time by Tammy Beaumont at short fine leg.

Otherwise, though, she made the most of the short deliveries served up by England's seamers, while also using her feet to dominate the spinners on a surface that didn't offer much assistance to Charlie Dean or Sophie Ecclestone, both of whom were expensive.

When Healy finally fell, stumped by Amy Jones to give Shrubsole the first of three wickets, there were already 316 runs on the board. She was swiftly followed by Gardner, who was run out coming back for a second, before Lanning made just 10 on the occasion of her 100th ODI appearance. In all, Australia added 120 runs in the last 10 overs.

In reply, England were never truly in contention, losing Wyatt in the third over to a Megan Schutt inswinger that took out her leg stump, with Beaumont trapped in front by the same bowler soon after.

^{Alana King picked up three wickets for Australia (Sanka Vidanagama/AFP via Getty Images)}

Knight and Sciver added 48 for the third wicket, but Alana King turned a ball into the pads of the England captain, having had an lbw decision against Sciver overturned in the batter's favour just two balls previously.

Sciver kept going, though. In two stands – with Jones (20) and Sophia Dunkley (23) – the allrounder ensured England never fell far behind the required, but their dismissals to the spin of Jess Jonassen and King meant Australia remained in charge. Dunkley, bowled round her legs, was swiftly followed by Brunt, stumped by a delivery that turned sharply.

Not for the first time in this competition, England had lost a glut of wickets in a short space of time. Ecclestone was next, lbw to Tahlia McGrath, followed by Kate Cross, who chipped back to Jonassen.

But Sciver continued, reaching a world-class hundred – her second of the tournament against Australia, both of which have come in a losing cause – and she was aided by Dean, who played a mature hand and has the technique to bat far higher than No.10.

Together, they added 65 runs for the ninth wicket, with that partnership only broken when Dean – brimming with confidence – reverse-swept to short third man.

Seven balls later, Australia had their crown, with Shrubsole chipping to Gardner at mid-off. Sciver remained not out on 148 but on the losing side.

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• Alyssa Healy breaks records galore in World Cup final century