Cricket fans have come to the defense of Australian captain Alyssa Healy after she was accused of a shocking conflict of interest when she provided colorful commentary on the Boxing Day Test.
The 34-year-old received a controversial shot because she spoke about her husband Mitch Starc’s performance against India at the MCG, where he played a starring role in the rollercoaster match.
News Corp journalist Ronny Lerner was widely condemned for his interpretation of his comment when he wrote in Alyssa Healy comments that her husband is one of the worst in any sport.
This provoked strong responses from hundreds of Australians, with the vast majority harshly criticizing Lerner.
“She is there as captain of the women’s team, not as a wife. This is a very bad take. She has more cricket experience and knowledge than James Brayshaw and several others in the (commentary) box, and she is the Australian captain again! one cricket fan pointed out in response.
“Yes, because a woman is defined by who she is married to and not by her own achievements… you know, as captain of the Australian women’s cricket team,” another added.
Australian captain Alyssa Healy (left) has been accused of a major conflict of interest because she commented on the Boxing Day Test while her husband Mitchell Starc (right) was playing.
Cricket fans jumped to Healy’s defense after she started trending on social media platform X for all the wrong reasons.
“Wait until this guy finds out Alyssa Heally is a professional cricketer,” chimed in a third.
‘Alyssa Healy is not only a generationally talented player and leader, she is one of the most insightful and intelligent commentators in the sport. “To suggest otherwise or question their knowledge is at best ignorant and at worst deliberately mocking and attention seeking,” another fan wrote.
Other cricket fans left Starc out of their depth and simply focused on what Healy added to the broadcast.
‘Alyssa Healy is a good commentator. That’s all,’ said one.
“I love that Alyssa Healy makes fun of Mitch’s golf skills and then makes the classic statement about an Indian batsman ‘who got a bun on the cap’, so classic Aussie,” another added.
‘Alyssa Healy is a natural in the commentary box. A natural, carefree Aussie style to her,” wrote a third.
Healy’s commentary included his shot at Virat Kohli after the former India captain shoulder-hit Australian teenage debutant Sam Konstas in one of the most controversial moments of this summer’s series.
“It doesn’t really set the best tone for your team, but if that’s a way the Indian team wants to approach it, so be it.” “It didn’t faze him (Konstas) in the least,” he said.
A knee injury prevented Healy from taking over the wicket during Australia’s recent ODI series win over New Zealand, and she is still trying to be fully fit for the Ashes series against England in Australia next month.
Healy (pictured holding trophies after Australia’s ODI series win over New Zealand earlier this month) provided color on the Fox Sports broadcast.
Many Australians were quick to point out that Healy appeared in the coverage because she is one of the best cricketers Australia has produced, not because she is married to Starc.
“I’m on the Governor-General’s team and it will be a great opportunity for me to put on the gloves and see how things progress,” Healy told reporters on Saturday.
“At the moment it’s kind of going by ear to see how things go, but I enjoyed running around the countryside in New Zealand, so if that’s the option and it’s less detrimental to our side, then that might be the way forward.” forward.
“…the real test will be in the next 10 days of the series, as far as how that (knee) picks up, how it responds when I stay up again.”
The Ashes series will feature a day-night Test at the MCG, the first time the nations women’s teams will use a pink ball since 2017.
Healy was asked about the possibility of seeing empty bench seats at the famous ground during the test.
“We are fully aware that there won’t be 87,000 people coming through the gates every day, but (someone) asked me: ‘Would you rather play at North Sydney (Oval) in front of 4,000 or challenge the norm and play at the MCG and see how many can we get?” he told the alphabet.
‘Of course, the MCG. We grew up watching Test cricket like everyone else and wanting to run around with our baggy greens.