Mitchell Starc flies home to watch wife Alyssa Healy in World T20 final
White-ball spearhead Mitchell Starc will miss Australia’s final ODI match against South Africa. The reason? Well, not even coach Justin Langer could deny the big quick.
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Mitchell Starc will fly home early from South Africa, for love.
Justin Langer has granted the big fast bowler permission to skip the team’s last ODI in Potchefstroom and make the express dash back home to watch wife Alyssa Healy play in Sunday’s historic World Cup final in Melbourne.
Healy was in the stands at a sold out MCG to celebrate the defining moment of Starc’s career in the men’s 50-over World Cup final in 2015. But for the most part, the married couple are cricket’s version of ships in the night.
Now Starc is relishing a special chance to repay the favour and simply be a “husband” for Healy’s big night.
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“Obviously winning is very special, but to have that moment (in 2015) after the game in the change room with your loved ones, your family, who are there for the journey of the World Cup, it’s pretty special,” said Starc, who was to fly home from Johannesburg on Friday night.
“That was a big part in wanting to get back and repay that I guess. We didn’t take for granted how special that was for that whole group of players and staff. It’s a fantastic opportunity to repay that.
“It’s going to be another special moment for the girls’ group now and for me, to not be a cricketer, just be a husband watching on. Hopefully I’ll get to see the girls lift the trophy and be able to congratulate them all after Sunday night.”
Starc also turned down millions at this year’s IPL to spend more time with Healy.
A decision he says he “wouldn’t change for the world.”
Starc was riding every moment of the Australian women’s team anxious semi-final triumph over South Africa – amid the rain drops of Sydney’s big wet – in the team bus on the way from Bloemfontein to Potchefstroom.
“I get more nervous watching Alyssa play and definitely more stressed on the bus than I do playing these days,” he said.
“It was great to see a lot of the boys get around and watch on the bus. There wasn’t too much internet coverage for some of that five-hour bus trip. I had mine going the whole time, so did JL (Justin Langer) and as it got closer a few more boys logged on and there were a few crowded around different phones watching the game. It was pretty tense.
“That definitely captured the support around Australia and hopefully there’s a massive crowd in Melbourne on Sunday.
“The girls are under no illusion how special it’s to play in a home World Cup and they’ve worked so hard to get to the final and come through a few hiccups along the way and captured the attention of everyone around the cricketing world.
“They’ve embraced the pressure of a home World Cup, now they just have to embrace the atmosphere and pressure that comes with a final. There’s always pressure there, it’s just a few more eyes will be on them this time.”
The feel-good plan to put family before cricket and get Starc home for a final which could break a new record for the biggest crowd ever for a women’s sporting event was conceived last month.
“It’s been in the works for a while,” Starc said. “I brought it up with Alyssa a while ago and had a chat with Gav (Gavin Dovey, team manager) and Cracker (National selector Trevor Hohns) in India (last month) actually.
“I said if the case was that the girls made the final, I’d be pretty keen to get back and they were extremely supportive as is JL (Justin Langer) and Finchy (Aaron Finch) and the rest of the boys.”
During the summer, Healy and Starc both told News Corp of the strain of maintaining a relationship on opposite sides of the globe. It’s not unusual for them to only be home together in Sydney for just a few days a year, such is the relentless nature of their respective cricketing schedules.