Australia’s captain Alyssa Healy will miss the World Cup game against bitter rivals England on Wednesday night due to a calf injury.
Healy, who has made centuries in each of the past two games of the tournament against India and Bangladesh, strained her calf at training on Saturday, and has not recovered sufficiently to be considered for the England game.
Australian captain Alysaa Healy is in imposing form with the bat.Credit: AP
Deputy Tahlia McGrath will captain in Healy’s absence, while the selectors will also need to reconsider the batting order.
Beth Mooney is the likely substitute for Healy with the wicket-keeping gloves.
“Really unfortunate there for Midge with just a slight calf strain, but we know we’ve got some options,” Australia coach Shelley Nitschke said of Healy.
“We’re just going to keep assessing her day by day, and give her every opportunity to play the next game against South Africa, and then just see how that plays out with the rehab – but just keep assessing it and hopefully, she gets up.”
Healy has battled injury in recent times, with a plantar fascia problem forcing her out of the T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE last year, where Australia were eliminated in the semi-finals.
She also fought through injury to play in the day/night Ashes Test against England at the MCG in January after missing much of the summer with knee and foot trouble.
Calf injuries can be stubborn issues to shrug off, and Healy must also be considered doubtful for at least Australia’s final qualifying game against South Africa, if not the semi-finals. Ellyse Perry battled calf cramps before this World Cup, with Healy joking, “She is just old, she’s fine”.
