Alyssa Healy puts nightmares of Indian series behind her to open WBBL with almighty bang

Alyssa Healy was left shaking her head at times during the Indian series, but back in the WBBL she let fly with a monster innings.

The freedom of the WBBL helped Alyssa Healy bounce back from an indifferent series against India and answer the questions that followed with an emphatic opening innings for the Sydney Sixers in Hobart.

Healy had made just 69 runs in her past eight T20 innings heading into the opening match of the WBBL and only passed 50 once in seven digs in the multi-series format against India

The superstar headed to Tasmania off scores of four and four in the final two ODIs and was rolled by one of the bets balls of the series to compound her frustration.

But the 31-year-old settled back into her magenta comfort zone, knowing she had to blast from ball one as her team chased down a rain-reduced total of 99 off just 11 overs.

Healy went from ball one, clubbing her way to 57 runs off just 27 balls, with 11 scintillating boundaries, to help her team easily chase down the Melbourne Stars score.

Healy goes baaaaannngggg 💥 #WBBL07pic.twitter.com/z5GlrFh3ss

— Weber Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) October 14, 2021

After her innings, Healy joked that her form had come “four weeks too late”, acknowledging some of the commentary around her batting against India in the multi-format series.

But she said the WBBL provided a whole different platform, one that helped bring out her best.

“I was just looking forward to coming into the Big Bash and playing with freedom, enjoying myself and hopefully playing some good cricket,” Healy said.

“It’s nice to get back out here. I love playing in the WBBL, especially for the Sixers, so it was nice to get out and get a relatively clean game in.”

Instead of opening the batting with Sixers captain Ellyse Perry, Healy has a new partner in Indian power hitter Shafali Verma.

The talented teenager managed just eight runs in her first WBBL match, but Healy is expecting fireworks from her during the competition.

“I won’t lie, I think someone bowled one real full to her and I actually flinched at the nonstriker’s end she swung so hard at it,” Healy said.

“It’s good fun – nice to be able to play with that freedom. She’ll come good for us, I’m looking forward to seeing it.”

Player of the match Alyssa Healy enjoyed the freedom of the Big Bash. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

Verma is one of eight Indian players in the WBBL this season, and one of her teammates, Radha Yadav, is also in the magenta.

Yadav was one of the Sixers’ most economical bowlers on the night, conceding 15 runs in her two overs after the match was reduced to 11 overs because of rain.

The impact of the weather could continue across the opening weekend of the WBBL, with more rain forecast around Tasmania set to affect the four games scheduled for the weekend.

Originally published as Alyssa Healy puts nightmares of Indian series behind her to open WBBL with almighty bang