The stage is set for an exciting battle as Australia Women face England Women in the Ashes series starting on January 12, 2025. The series begins with three ODIs, followed by three T20Is, and a one-off Test. Ahead of this much-anticipated contest, Australian skipper Alyssa Healy shared her thoughts during a media interaction. She spoke about the team’s preparation, challenges, expectations, team dynamics, individual performances, and the growth of women’s cricket.
While acknowledging the importance of rest before the high-stakes Ashes, Healy expressed: “Yeah, actually I think the group as a whole are probably ready for a little bit of a break to go home, see family, spend some Christmas time at home, come to the Boxing Day Test. But yeah, I feel like the squad is in such a great place to really attack this, Ashes.”
Healy praised the contributions of younger players and highlighted the depth in Australian cricket: “Every time someone has come in to take my spot, they have made runs. It has been amazing, and just to see the depth in Australian cricket is there. Young players, in particular, step up and are ready to go at international level, which is exactly why we invest in our domestic cricket here in Australia.”
She also commended Megan Schutt’s longevity and adaptability: “She does keep doing it, and just when you think that as an opposition you have got one over her, she re-evolves again and finds something new to deliver. She is an amazing team member first and foremost but a performer for our side.”
Healy reflected on lessons learned from previous Ashes series and identified areas for improvement, particularly in T20 cricket: “I think we learned a lot of lessons from that last series and kind of evolved the way that we have played knowing how teams are going to come at us moving forward. We were only four down at the innings break there in the World Cup semi-final with not enough runs on the board. We have had some really positive conversations about how we want to take our T20 cricket moving forward, remaining that fearless approach.”
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🚨”The squad is in such a great place to really attack this Ashes.” – Alyssa Healy ahead of the highly anticipated Women’s Ashes 2025 series against England.
Listen to the full PC 👇@snehasis_95 @TrishaGhosal @cricketcomau @englandcricket #Ashes #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/iRdRpeWxfR
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) December 28, 2024
Healy discussed managing her knee injury and balancing her roles as captain, batter, and wicketkeeper: “My main niggle concern at the moment is my knee and having an angry joint in there and flaring that up…The aim at this stage is to still take the gloves. If that is going to keep it happier and I can focus on my batting and captaincy, then maybe that is the way forward.”
She also praised backup keeper Beth Mooney: “Moose is doing a great job and is learning how hard it is to wicket keep again after fielding for so long. We both get along really well, and having that open communication about where we are both at has been really helpful.”
Healy shared her enthusiasm for the pink-ball Test at the MCG: “It is huge, and I think what Melbourne seems to do really well is put on an event. The day-night Test, pink ball, it is going to be really exciting. Hopefully, people really enjoy that and celebrate it.”
On teammates Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck recovering from injuries: “Really disappointed for the both of them…but they will bounce back. Luckily, they are both still young and have plenty left to achieve in international cricket.”
Healy reflected on the evolving cricket calendar and the balance between international and franchise cricket: “The windows for franchise cricket are great at the moment, but hopefully more players, not just here in Australia but around the world, will get opportunities to experience those and take the load off a little bit and really prioritize international cricket because that is, I think for us, most important.”
Finally, she encouraged fans to prioritize the Ashes: “Come watch us; it is way more exciting. I mean, the Sri Lankan Test series will be great for the boys, but a day-night Test match at the MCG is going to be pretty exciting, I would have thought. So, make sure you buy your tickets.”
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