Australian captain Alyssa Healy playing with two broken fingers
Skipper Alyssa Healy wasn’t the only one who played hurt in Australia’s Test win, with changes looming as the Ashes moves to T20s.
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Australian captain Alyssa Healy has “drunk a lot of concrete” as she deals with finger issues, with the Ashes shifting to T20s as batting dynamo Phoebe Litchfield prepares for the possibility of being benched.
In the wake of Australia’s Test victory at Trent Bridge to start to multi-format series, Healy revealed she was playing with two broken fingers, while player of the match Ash Gardner didn’t bowl in the lead-up as she dealt with her own finger issue.
The fitness of both, but more especially Healy, will be monitored before the first of three T20s at Edgbaston on Saturday, the scene of Australia’s breakthrough Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2022.
Litchfield, who made 23 and 46 in her first two Test innings as Australia secured an 89-run innings, was adamant Healy, who is skippering in the absence of Meg Lanning, would play.
“She’ll be fine. Trust me,” Litchfield said.
“She‘s drunk a lot of concrete over the last few days.”
Healy’s presence could cost Litchfield, who has played two T20s for Australia, her spot in the line-up, with big hitter Grace Harris set to be included.
Litchfield, 20, could be in a fight with all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, fresh off scoring her maiden Test century, for a spot in the XI, and she knows she won’t be opening the batting if she does play.
“Whether I play or not I don‘t know, but I’ll just train hard and put my hand up if the opportunity arises,” she said.
“I‘d definitely go down the order.”
Gardner, who bowled Australia to victory with eight second innings wickets, is also dealing with an index finger issue that “adrenaline” helped her forget about at Trent Bridge.
“My finger obviously bent backwards where it‘s probably not supposed to. It’s almost stretched that ligament a little bit,” Gardner said.
”Adrenaline does funny things and I completely forget about it as soon as the ball was in hand.”
Opening bowler Megan Schutt is also set to come into the team for the T20s and ODIs, with the remaining six games to decide the Ashes.
Originally published as Australian captain Alyssa Healy playing with two broken fingers
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