‘Fine line’: Aussie cricket star Alyssa Healy’s secret weapon in broadcast role

She already holds the position of Australian women’s cricket team captain, but Alyssa Healy says watching the game has taught her just as much as playing it.

Pitch perfect! Alyssa Healy reflects on her cricket career. Picture: Getty Images

Whether she’s captaining Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground or playing a friendly game of backyard cricket, Alyssa Healy takes no prisoners.

“Funnily enough my friends have told me I am quite ruthless,” Healy tells The Binge Guide with a laugh, admitting that she’s always looking for “six and out”.

It’s this competitive drive that has seen Healy become one of the world’s greatest champions in a sport that, up until recently, largely ignored women.

“I remember signing my first contract for Australia and I was ranked 18th out of 18 players – as I should have been at the time – and it was for about $5000,” she reflects.

“I was still at school so I remember thinking I was the richest kid at my school.

“I thought that was really cool until I realised that wasn’t going to help me buy a house in the future.

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Alyssa Healy of Australia bats during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between Australia and Pakistan in October. Picture: Getty Images

Picture: Getty Images

“It wasn’t until five or six years ago that there was this shift and this could become a career we could have for a long time.”

Now in the midst of another season as a commentator for Fox Cricket while also competing for Australia, Healy marvels at how far things have come.

“It’s not just a game men have played for an extended period of time.

“Women have been playing it for just as long, and have had similar experiences along the way,” she says.

“It’s nice to hear some different opinions and different perspectives in the commentary box, and showcase a pathway for young girls in particular that if playing cricket isn’t necessarily something that you want to do, working in the media and being an expert in the game itself is also an avenue.”

‘This could become a career we could have for a long time!’ Alyssa Healy reflects on the shift for women’s cricket. Picture: Getty Images

Healy is buoyed that a new generation of fans will grow up watching her play and talk about the sport she loves. She also believes that her work in the commentary box is improving her form as a player.

“Having the opportunity to sit there and watch other forms of cricket and other people play – male, female, it doesn’t really matter – to see different tactics and the decisions other people are making, I think it gives me a great advantage as a current player to see what I could adopt into my game, or whether I should start thinking about these things a little bit differently.”

Over the years on air, Healy has found her groove as a commentator alongside Alex Blackwell, Rachael Haynes, Julia Price and Megan Barnard.

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“At home on the couch, it’s easy to say ‘this is what I’ll be doing’ or ‘this is the way that should be done’,” she explains.

“In the commentary chair, you can actually put yourself in their shoes and understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. And I can explain that to the audience who are yelling those same things.”

Likewise, Healy is careful to strike the right balance of sharing inside knowledge while being respectful of her fellow players.

“The more delicate side of it is that I’m still playing, and that some of the people I know quite well still play with me or against me,” she says.

“There’s obviously a fine line of what can be shared, or how controversial you can be. But I love cricket, and if I can give some insight into what’s happening, then that’s cool.”

Catch Alyssa Healy in the Women’s Ashes series from January 12, live on Fox Cricket, on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.

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Originally published as ‘Fine line’: Aussie cricket star Alyssa Healy’s secret weapon in broadcast role