Captaincy and an off-season have Alyssa Healy firing

She’s the hottest bat in the game. A 166cm dynamo who answers to Midge and Alyssa Healy has now cracked six 50s in her past eight T20 innings.

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Most Thursdays during winter, Alyssa Healy would throw her clubs in the car and head up to the clifftop course at Long Reef.

Here she’d meet her other sporting family, including Australian touch football hall of famer Karen Smith, who form part of Long Reef Golf Club’s vibrant midweek women’s competition.

It’s just a five-minute drive from her North Curl Curl home on Sydney’s northern beaches, but a world away from her job as an Australian cricketer.

“I’ve got a bit of an old soul at times; it’s kind of cool to sit down with a glass of wine after a round of golf on a Thursday,” the eight-handicapper told News Corp Australia this week.

“I think I’ve got a few 60-year-old ladies into cricket - it’s pretty cool.

Healy has whacked three half-centuries in three matches during the World T20. Pic: Getty Images

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“It’s been an amazing club, the ladies I play golf with are always the first to text message after a game.

“They didn’t know a lot about cricket but all of a sudden they’ve jumped on board and there’s always buzzing around the newsletter.”

The texts would have been pinging at a furious rate from the beachfront terrace at Long Reef this week as Healy set the World T20 in the Caribbean alight.

A quickfire 48 and a brilliant performance behind the stumps led Australia to its game-one victory against Pakistan and she backed that up with consecutive half-centuries, including the fastest 50 in World T20 history (21 balls).

The hottest bat in the game, this 166cm dynamo who answers to Midge has now cracked six 50s in her past eight T20 innings. No woman has ever made more T20 half-centuries in a calendar year.

Alyssa Healy with local children during a Schools and Community Outreach Program session at East Reimveldt Secondary School in Guyana. Pic: Getty Images

“It just feels like it’s coming off a little bit more; I think I’m just making better decisions when I am deciding to go over the top,” Healy said of her dazzling run.

“I’m not taking too many risks early and trying to force it. I’m actually just waiting for a delivery to hit. That’s probably more pleasing than anything else.”

Australia selector Shawn Flegler has always thought Healy was one of the best batters in the world but it wasn’t until she was appointed captain of NSW earlier this year and she committed to training consistently that she has achieved that standing.

“She was up and down (with her commitment to training), she’d be the first to acknowledge that,” Felger said.

“Talent-wise she’s as good as anyone in the team, so it’s good she’s seeing the rewards of her hard work.”

Healy is very laid back, laconic even. She laughs at the mention she might have been lazy, once.

Her strong start to the summer was honed during the off-season. Pic: AAP

“I’ll say it out loud, I hate training,” Healy confirmed.

“I love playing cricket, but I hate training. Just get me out on the park to play.

“I never put too much time and effort (in). If I had to, I did, but I didn’t waste too much time or energy on that stuff.”

A little older at 28, Healy this year realised she needed to look after her body more. She decided to stay at home during the winter and do a solid pre-season rather than head to the UK to play Super League.

“Taking over the captaincy (at NSW) … sort of gave me a bit of an ultimatum to lift my game on the training field,” Healy said.

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“And I guess every area of my game in that department lifted. I’m stronger, fitter, faster, naturally. I’m in a good space heading into a huge sort of three or four months of cricket.”

While she loves home, her husband, Test quick Mitch Starc, and her extended family, including blue staffies Millie and Misty, being on tour suits Healy.

“I’m fairly independent,” she said.

“My mum and dad moved out of our house and moved to Singapore when I was finishing year 12, so from an early age I was on my own; full responsibilities living in our apartment and looking after a dog.

“I’m used to spending a lot of time on my own and Mitch is probably pretty similar.

Healy has also been solid with the gloves. Pic: Getty Images

“We keep in contact all day every day, but we like to keep to ourselves too.”

But it will be nice to be back home soon, hopefully with a big trophy to show off to Karen, Rachel, Tamra, Jen and the other ladies at Long Reef.

“To spend a summer at home, especially where we live on the beach, it’s pretty special,” she said.

For now, it’s all eyes on India, the other unbeaten team in Group B, who the Australians meet in their final preliminary match at Guyana National Stadium at 2am Sunday (AEDT).

Then Antigua beckons and a semi-final most likely against England or West Indies. Whoever they face, the odds are a certain sometimes Long Reef silver pennant member will be teeing off.

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Originally published as Captaincy and an off-season have Alyssa Healy firing