But Healy, Australia’s captain who has been nursing a knee injury since mid-November, admitted that a tight schedule of seven matches – including a four-day Test – in the space of 22 days might mean some rotation of personnel through the series, which starts with three ODIs followed by three T20s.
“Yeah, good to go,” a beaming Healy told reporters of her ability to keep after a practice session at North Sydney Oval, less than 24 hours before the series start at the same venue.
“Probably I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t any doubt, in particular off the back of a rough couple of months, but everything’s progressed probably just as well as we would have hoped. I’m feeling really good.
“More importantly, I’m feeling really confident on it to be able to get out there and do that job. I wouldn’t be doing it if I felt like I was going to let the team down. I’m really excited to get back out there tomorrow.”
Healy has endured a tough run with injury since October, when she ruptured the plantar fascia in her in her right foot while running between the wickets during Australia’s group game against Pakistan at the T20 World Cup.
Having proved herself such a valuable option at the top of the order, including fifty opening alongside Healy in the washed-out Ashes warm-up between England and a Governor General’s XI, Voll could slot in at any time Healy needs to rest though.
“It’s a valid question, and I don’t know the answer to that just yet,” Healy said when asked if she had recovered enough to play all Ashes fixtures. “I think it’s just going to depend on how I pull up after each and every opportunity.
“But obviously we know we’ve got a pretty handy back-up that’s ready to do the job, and I know that I can run around in the field quite confidently as well, so we’ll just play it by ear. From my perspective, I’d love to be out there keeping every game, but we’ll just have to see how the body goes.”
“She’s improved her consistency, she’s added a few skills to her game as well. She was really raw in that series and really made an impact so she’s one of a number of bowlers that are going to contribute throughout this series.
“She’s certainly someone that bowls wicket-taking balls and that’s what we want her to do. Accepting sometimes she’s going to go for runs, that’s completely fine, that’s not her job. Her job is to come in and take poles and try and ruffle a few feathers so I’m excited to watch her bowl for sure.”
England XI (possible): Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight (capt), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Amy Jones (wk), Alice Capsey/Sophia Dunkley, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer/Kate Cross
Australia XI (possible): Alyssa Healy (capt, wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown/Georgia Wareham
Valkerie Baynes is a general editor, women’s cricket, at ESPNcricinfo
