Alyssa Healy has been crowned the ICC's Women's Player of the Month for April. We look back on an outstanding 30 days in cricket from the Australian keeper.
By the numbers
ODIs – 155 runs at 51.66 with a strike-rate of 98.72. High score of 65
Top of the charts against New Zealand
Healy was the stand out batter in Australia’s ODI clean sweep of New Zealand (155 runs at 51.66), with Lauren Down (106 at 35.33) and Rachael Haynes (101 at 33.66) second and third on the run-scoring charts.
The opener starred in the series curtain-raiser, scoring 65 off 68 to keep the pressure on New Zealand despite the early dismissals of Haynes and captain Meg Lanning. She backed that up with a quickfire 44 in game two that set Australia up perfectly to post a daunting total of 271/7.
She wrapped up her series with her most aggressive performance of the campaign, hitting six fours in a 39-ball 46.
Joining Australia’s 200 club
Little more than a decade after making her Australia debut as a 19-year-old, Healy became the third female player to represent the country 200 times.
Healy played her 200th game for Australia on 7 April, scoring an impressive 44 off 50 to help Lanning’s team to a series-sealing victory in the second ODI against the White Ferns.
The star keeper is in good company in the 200-match-club, alongside Ellyse Perry and Alex Blackwell. Healy has played 79 ODIs and four Tests, alongside her 118 T20Is. Only Perry (123) has played more T20Is for Australia.
Still only 31 years old, she has every chance of reaching the 250-match mark and beyond.
A part of ODI history
Australia’s women’s team made history in April, breaking the world record for the most consecutive ODI wins.
Ricky Ponting’s Australia won 21 straight ODIs in the space of five months in 2003, winning the ICC Cricket World Cup along the way. It was a benchmark four wins clear off the next best effort in men’s or women’s cricket until Lanning’s team came about.
Since March 2018, Australia’s women’s team has won 24 consecutive ODIs, winning their 22nd in the series opener against the White Ferns at the start of April.
Healy is one of only four players to have featured in all 24 of those matches, and has been comfortably Australia’s highest run-scorer in the streak with 1287 at 55.95.
Fittingly, she was Australia’s best batter in the record-breaking 22nd win, scoring 65 off 68.
“Healy’s consistency with the bat has been a significant part of Australia’s dominance showing her class across all conditions and against all types of bowling,” ICC Voting Academy member and journalist Elizabeth Ammon said. “To be so consistent for such a long period of time shows what a vital part of the Australian team she is and one of the leading lights in women’s cricket.”
Trending News
-
1
1 Find the formula, execute the plan: Pakistan's Cricket World Cup path in India
Pakistan have enjoyed multiple spells as the world's No.1 ODI team in recent times, though Babar Azam's men are desperate to find a rhythm to mount a serious Cricket World Cup challenge.
-
2 How to watch the World Cup 2023 warm-up fixtures
-
3 Top ranked performers from each team rated ahead of World Cup
-
4 All the squads for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023
-
5 Match schedule announced for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023