ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Alyssa Healy expecting a name in her family's honours board

When you’re a niece of a legendary cricketer of the previous generation and wife of one of the best in the current generation, the pressure of expectations is often around you. But Alyssa Healy, niece of the legendary Ian Healy and wife of Mitchell Starc, is hopeful to find her name in the family’s honours board. Alyssa is currently gearing up for the upcoming Women’s World Cup, where Australia will enter as the defending champions.

Talking about her initial days as a cricketer, she apparently was more interested in bowling but with time, she turned a wicketkeeper. The 27-year-old met the love of her life Starc when she was 9 and they were playing for the same team. Interestingly, both Alyssa and Starc practised wicketkeeping together before Mitch’s coach suggested him to change his role.

The couple tied the knot in April 2016 and they are the first Australian married couple, third in the history of the game to play Test cricket. Talking of how they spend time when they’re together, Alyssa mentioned they love playing Golf a lot and they barely discuss cricketing stuff.

”We both enjoy playing golf, we have a lot of interests outside of cricket although it tends to get very competitive. It’s game faces on during contests between us but when it’s finished we’re a happily married couple. My mum and dad are coming over for the World Cup too which will be great,” said Alyssa.

Alyssa reckons Mitchell Starc will be really helpful in providing some tips to get acclimatised to the English conditions. “I might lean on Mitch for some experience of the English conditions but we don’t tend to talk too much about cricket actually,” she added.

“Lord’s hosting the WC final is a great motivation for Women’s cricket”

To encourage Women’s cricket, the final of this year’s World Cup will be hosted by the Lord’s on 23 July, which Alyssa reckons is a great motivation. “The World Cup is the pinnacle of our sport. All the matches are pretty crucial, but the one that stands out is the final and having it at Lord’s too makes it pretty special,” the Aussie said.

It is at the back of everyone’s mind but we have a lot of crucial games that we need to win first. Women’s cricket has come a long way and I have no doubt this World Cup will be the biggest one so far,” she concluded.