‘It’s not about me’: Why Healy turned down final hurrah
Justin Chadwick |
Alyssa Healy’s team-first approach has burned brightly right until the end, with the retiring skipper turning down the chance to rise up the order for one final hurrah in international cricket.
Australia sealed a 10-wicket victory over India in the pink-ball Test at the WACA Ground on Sunday, with the win sealing a 12-points-to-four triumph in the multi-series format.
India won the T20s 2-1 before Australia swept the ODIs 3-0 and then dominated the one-off Test.
Despite chasing just 25 runs for victory, Healy opted not to promote herself up the order for one final bat before retiring from international cricket.
Instead, 22-year-olds Georgia Voll (16 not out) and Phoebe Litchfield (11no) polished off the required runs in just 4.3 overs as Australia wrapped up victory inside the first session of the third day.
Healy made just 13 in Australia’s first-innings total of 323 batting at No.4, and there was a groundswell of public support for her to open for the run chase.
But sticking to her team-first mantra, Healy instead let her teammates cash in on the glory, with Voll cracking the winning runs.
Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner chaired Healy off once the win was secured.
So as for Healy’s decision not to open on Sunday?
“I’ve got to protect my average of 20,” she quipped.
“We are watching the future of Australian cricket walk out there and mark centre and open. I didn’t want to get in the way of that.
“I’ve had my time in the sun, so it’s time for the next generation to show what they can do.”
Healy revealed the fans were calling for her to come out to bat, and she was also offered the opportunity by coach Shelley Nitschke.
“I think if you succumb to peer pressure, it’s not a great sign of leadership, right?” Healy said.
“That didn’t need to be a moment today.
“I was more than happy to do absolutely nothing today and get the win so and I’m pleased to have basically done that. It’s great.”
Heally played 11 Tests, 126 ODIs and 162 T20s for Australia during her dazzling 16-year international career.
The 35-year-old couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness during the dying stages of the Test win over India.
“There’s a little bit of sadness just sort of sitting in the change room and realising that I don’t really get to come back, like I’m not coming back next week and sitting with that group of people,” Healy said.
“That kind of made me sad, more so than anything cricket related.
“So that’s been the only bit (of sadness). I can genuinely say that I’m sitting here really excited. I’m excited to celebrate a win, obviously, but excited for what my life is going to look like next week.”
Healy has a WNCL final on March 21 to prepare for with NSW before earning a well-earned rest.
“After that, I’m excited to just discover who I am away from cricket,” Healy said.
India resumed play on day three at 6-105 in their second innings and still needing a further 20 runs to make Australia bat again.
Stubborn resistance from debutant Pratika Rawal (63) ensured India knocked them off without any more losses, but from there the hosts put on the squeeze, dismissing their opponents for 149.
Healy pulled off a sharp catch at slip to send Kashvee Gautam packing for a duck off the bowling of legspinner Alana King (2-23).
And India’s innings came to an end when Annabel Sutherland took a diving catch to end Rawal’s brave knock.
Sutherland was named player of the match after returning figures of 4-46 and 2-15 to go with her score of 129 in Australia’s first innings.
The 24-year-old has now notched four Test centuries, putting her just one short of the overall record in women’s cricket.
She was also named player of the series after producing a number of dominant displays with both bat and ball.
Perry also had a Test to remember, with her knock of 76 bringing her career Test run tally to 1006 – surpassing the previous Australian women’s record of 1002 held by Karen Rolton.
AAP