Looking forward to retaining the Ashes: Healy ahead of Lord’s debut

Back in 2013, Alyssa Healy was in the squad but, however, did not make the cut to appear in Australia’s playing XI against England at Lord’s. A full ten years later, Healy is set to lead her side in the third WT20I against England, a match that could very well decide the series' fate. 

On July 8 (Saturday), Lord’s will host only the second-ever WT20I at the venue, with the first T20I all the way back in 2009. Healy, who since 2013, has won several accolades, including multiple World Cups will have the rare opportunity to tick off her dreams of playing at the venue. 

"I am really looking forward to the opportunity to play there," Healy said in London on Wednesday.

"This Ashes series has been an amazing one so far, playing at the biggest grounds in the country. People are wanting to turn up and watch because they know what they're going to get. To tick Lord's off will be a really special occasion for the girls who get that opportunity,” Healy added.

On the other hand, Australia’s veteran all-rounder Ellyse Perry called it a special occasion, stating that there’s a ‘reason’ why people are turning up for the contest. 

"It has been a quantum leap for the sport to have a bilateral series like this with such great attendance," Perry told Cricket Australia. 

"There's been some amazing trends in the women's game over the last little bit, and I think particularly over here the combined success of many of England's women's sporting teams has built this great momentum behind the women's game,” she had to add. 

During the second WT20I between the two teams, there was a record-breaking 20,328 people at the Oval, and Perry added that the ‘quality of cricket’ has invited people at this level. 

"And there's a reason why people are coming. It's because the girls are playing such great cricket. I didn't think there was ever a ceiling on it, that's for sure," Perry said.

When Perry made her international debut, little did she expect for the sport to grow at this scale, but the all-rounder insisted that experiencing all of that is the biggest highlight of her career. 

"But to just be a part of it and to be experiencing it has been by far and away the biggest highlight of my career, it feels very special. Every year you just get excited by what's next and what big developments can happen in the sport."