Alyssa Healy pips Adam Gilchrist, Viv Richards to set new World Cup records

Alyssa Healy, Australia Women’s opening batter, set the stage for her team to win the final of the World Cup against England on Sunday. The 32-year-old did not just score a game-changing century, but also set two huge records for herself.

Healy, who was dropped on 41, now has the highest-ever individual score in a World Cup final across men’s and women’s cricket against her name. Adam Gilchrist (149, 2007), Sciver (148 in this game), Ricky Ponting (140, 2003) and Viv Richards (138, 1979) are behind the Aussie in the elite list.

Healy’s 170 runs, which came off just 138 deliveries, secured the record of the highest individual score in a Women’s World Cup final. She also became the first player to make more than 500 in runs in a single Women’s World Cup.

Karen Rolton, who also played for Australia in 2005, was previously the highest woman runscorer after her knock against India, which added 107 to Australia’s tally.

Healy’s was the highest and Nat Sciver’s the third-highest individual scores in a men’s or women’s ICC World Cup made clear this final was one of the best ever in a cricket World Cup.

“That was pretty special from our group, something that we’ve been working towards for a long period of time,” Healy said. “Everyone’s been talking about it for a long time so to get over the line was great.

“We knew England was peaking at the right time and you never know what’s going to happen. Full credit to the bowlers, they held their nerve. Nat Sciver played tremendous innings, I thought she might have got them over the line but it was just a great game of cricket”, according to reports from Associated Press.

Healy’s semifinal innings, which followed her 129 in Australia’s 157-run win over the West Indies, represented a higher level of performance for its command, the range of her shots and the power with which she struck the ball.