Healy glad to forget the WPL as she leads Australia

[Pelican Press 0]

Healy glad to forget the WPL as she leads Australia

Alyssa Healy jokes she can’t wait to throw herself into leading Australia in the white-ball series in Bangladesh – because it might stop her Women’s Premier League-winning teammates from reminding her about their victory.

Healy’s side play their first ever one-day international in Bangladesh on Thursday, just four days after three of her possible starting XI – Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, and Georgia Wareham – played in the Royal Challengers Bangalore side that won the WPL final.

Asked whether the RCB trio might be particularly buoyed coming off their success in Delhi, Healy, who captained the UP Warriorz side that didn’t even make the playoffs, had a wry response on Wednesday.

“I guess they would be. To go through a competition like the WPL which is chaotic, quite stressful, and get the win at the end of it, makes it all worthwhile,” noted Healy before adding: “So, yeah, I think they’re obviously high on confidence., obviously buoyed by the win – and I’m ***** of them talking about it!

“So I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this series and we don’t talk about the WPL any more.”

The skipper certainly expects Sophie Molineux, RCB’s matchwinner on Sunday who took three wickets in four ****** with her left-arm spin to change the course of the final, to be particularly pumped for action as she’s set to play her first ODI since October 2021.

Ten of the 14-strong squad were in the WPL and have had a long spell away from home, but Healy noted: “I feel we’ve got some great perspective.

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“With Tayla Vlaeminck back in our squad for the first time for a long time, and Sophie Molineux back around the group, there’s enough perspective in there that, if you’re feeling a little bit tired, there’s players that are absolutely busting their gut to be here playing for Australia.

“And that’s a nice reminder for each and every one of us. The group are really excited to be here and excited to play, pull on the yellow and play for Australia again.”

Her main concern is that “a bit of illness that’s going around a group right now”, so Australia won’t be naming their XI until the toss on Thursday.

But the spin-friendly conditions mean that her side could even possibly go into the match with four tweakers in their ranks – Molineux, Wareham, Grace Harris and Ash Gardner.

Healy reckons the WPL experience will have come in useful. “The Delhi wicket in particular was a little bit low and slowish, which doesn’t traditionally suit an *********** batting line-up.

“But I think there’s enough experience within our group, and enough communication in particular, to make sure we adapt and are still able to score runs when conditions don’t quite suit us.”

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