Healy confident to be part of Australia’s ODI World Cup defence as she is ruled out of the T20 series against New Zealand.
Healy confident of being fit enough to be included in the ODI World Cup.
Alyssa Healy, the captain of Australia, will miss the T20I trip of New Zealand next month, but her eligibility for the ODI World Cup is “no doubt” as she recovers from a terrible string of injuries.
Melbourne Renegades batswoman-wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum has been called up to Australia’s 14-man team for the three-match series that begins in Auckland on March 21 after Healy was anticipated to miss it due to a foot injury.
Beth Mooney will once more assume the gloves in Healy’s absence, while Tahlia McGrath will captain and Ashleigh Gardner will serve as her deputy.
Although the 25-year-old Faltum has not yet participated in international cricket, he recently commanded the Governor-General’s XI against England in January and had a successful season with WBBL champions Renegades. She was selected for the New Zealand tour ahead of Tahlia Wilson and Maddy Darke.
“We just see Nic slightly ahead of the others, particularly for the T20 format,” Australia chief selector Shawn Flegler told reporters. “It’s really unlikely that she will play. Obviously, Beth will take the gloves for this tour and she did a really good job during the Ashes replacing Alyssa.
“But we just thought it was a great opportunity for Nicole to come in and be around the group, train with them and get to see the environment first hand.”
Because of the stress fracture in her right foot, Healy, who will turn 35 in March, was left off the squad. Prior to playing as a specialist middle-order hitter, she had to demonstrate her fitness for the MCG Test and missed the Women’s Ashes T20I section.
Healy missed Australia’s penultimate group game and the semi-final match against South Africa due to a ruptured plantar fascia in her foot during the T20 World Cup in October of last year. She also missed the rest of the season and the ensuing ODI series against India due to a knee injury she sustained early in the WBBL.
“My understanding is that there’s no doubt that she’ll get through to the World Cup, that’s for sure,” Flegler said. “She’s had a complicated last couple of years with some different injuries that’s been related to foot…some Achilles and stuff.
“We certainly don’t want to rush it. As far as I’m aware, there’s no risk that she’ll miss out on that World Cup.”