Test Match Special - No Balls: The amazing Alyssa Healy

Episode Date: October 27, 2025

Australia captain Alyssa Healy joins Kate Cross and Alex Hartley on the podcast. They discuss her Desert Island teammates, her sadness around the rain-affected World Cup fixtures, the smallest item she could hit a 6 with, and why she had to quit her job at KFC.

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And you need to remember that you. Your grandma listens to this. She does. She also abuses me on social media. But don't worry, we beep it out. See your kids can listen. And Grandma Jean. First ball, castled.

Now I'm celebrating for crossing. That one was for Crossy. That was a beautiful delivery. The wobble ball again from Kate Cross. And that is such an important wicket. Kate Crossing for the Hattrick ball. Oh, it's so wide. Hello, and welcome back to No Bulls and Cricket podcast from me, Kate Cross, you Alex Hartley,

and you've just said you've got seven minutes in you before you're going to cry, so let's go. Let's go, right. England and three to seven finals, I've had a great week, see you. No. Bye, everyone, I've got an interview for you. Have a listen here. No, no, no. I'm actually all right.

Do you know when I've just had a really long day? So to give everyone a little bit of context and for anyone that doesn't know Alex and everyone should know Alex because you listen to this podcast, you had to set an alarm today and that is why it's been a long day for you. Oh my God and anyone listening to this is going to think I'm not well actually you know I'm not well but the games have been starting at 3 o'clock

so I've been like waking up at half 11 and I'm going to bed at 2 a.m. I've been getting 12 hours sleep whatever I've been getting it's been fantastic. Went to bed at 11 o'clock last night knowing I've got a day game today England versus New Zealand

obviously because my sleep schedules backwards I was wired like wide awake my alarm went off at 9 o'clock this morning. It's not even early. It's just a normal time. It is a weekend though. It's Sunday. You shouldn't be set an alarm on a Sunday.

And the clocks didn't change here, so I didn't get an extra hour in bed. This is my favourite Sunday of the year. You know, this is my, this is the one where you get the extra hour in bed and you wake up and you're like, I've had 10 hours sleep or I've had 9 hours sleep or I've had 8 hours sleep. Jack has just text saying, for context, I was also working the game today,

and I was up at 4.45 a.m. All right, Jack. All right, mate. We get it. We get it. You've got a real job. We get it. Yeah, yeah. But no, I did the game today, England and New Zealand. Obviously, it was a strange game not only for the cricket, but also knowing it was Divine's last game. I caught the tail end of the radio when I was just driving back for my sisters this morning.

So I caught the tail end of like the emotional, she got a guard of honor, didn't she? And then everyone was giving her a hug. And then I heard Amy Jones's interview. and it just, it's obviously a shame that it wasn't a better game for her to go out on, but what a career. Unbelievable. Like, I don't really know so far that well. But I'm going to sound like a wet lays here.

I cried at the National Anthem today, New Zealand National Anthem, because she was crying. Well, if anyone's not listened to the episode we did with a couple of weeks ago, please go back and listen to it because she spoke so candidly about this retirement. And she's not actually retired from T20 cricket for New Zealand. So she, you know, could still feature next year in the World Cup, but another World Cup. But, yeah, this is the final bit of one-day cricket, and obviously she's capped in them, and she got a wicket, I think. She got Heather Knight out quite late, and she said how nice it was that she managed to manufacture

that it was her and Susie bowling at the final stage of the game. So it's obviously we don't know anything about Susie, but it kind of feels like it's going to be her last 50 over World Cup as well. But yeah, go back and listen to the episode because she spoke so well, and it would make sense as to why you were then crying at the national anthem today. Yeah, and you know more than I do, but like what she's done for New Zealand cricket over 19 years playing international ODIs, it's just, she's been through it all, hasn't she? It's remarkable.

And it's hard to imagine because we're in a phase of women's cricket where there is a lot more promotion, there is a lot more bums on seats, there is a lot more money, there's a lot more resource. But she was probably there when you had to pay for your own. she would have been in that era 19 years is such a long time in the space of our journey in women's cricket so she will have seen it all she's ridden all the waves i'm still so gutted for her that she's never played a test match for new zealand never say never though maybe there's she's not retired from test cricket technically so no she could call she's retired from oldie i

Cricket. Imagine. She like retires from T20 Quicket but never retires from test cricket so there's always a chance. Just ready. Turns out a 50 years old because they've finally put a test match on for the Kiwis. I know. I know. How are you? Yeah, I'm all right. I'm all right. Obviously, good days, bad days. But keeping busy. Doing all right. Yeah. But what we need to do because we've not got much time is I want you to give everyone a very, very quick rundown of the semifinal situation because you know it you're there you know what's going on here we go so it's being confirmed england are playing south africa in goaharty on wednesday reserve day on thursday and india are playing australia on thursday reserve day friday india are also currently playing bangladesh in navvy

Mumbai where the semi-final and the final is and it's raining oh okay rain sponsors this tournament and it's due to rain yeah it's due to rain all week well good job does reserve days then because that would have been really annoying wouldn't it well it just put a bit of context on today's game england new zealand obviously england won but it was everyone's like it's a bit of a nothing game it means nothing but actually had england have lost today they'd have finished third in the table and if it does rain next week they'd have been out and salafka will go through to the final so now we finish second if it rains we're okay okay we're in that safe spot so that's good is it fair to say that the semi-finals are what we would have expected yeah yeah

Yeah. In a way, I feel bad for New Zealand because they might have qualified ahead of India, but India are the better team. I'm surprised on the table. I thought it would be Australia, India, England, South Africa, not Australia, England, South Africa, India. Yeah, it's almost like India haven't taken their home advantage, isn't it? Yeah, they've lost too many games. They've played weird cricket. But they're at Navi Mumbai. It's an absolutely road. and I actually think they could challenge Australia in Navi Mumbai. I hope so. I hope the semifinals are good because obviously we saw with South Africa yesterday against Australia,

gosh, when they lose, they lose so badly, don't they? It's crazy. I've never seen a team qualify for a World Cup semi-final with a negative 0.3 run, right? They've been bowled out for less than 100 twice in a one-day World Cup. That's mad. I know, I know. And I've said this on air today.

There is absolutely, I don't know why, and I might be wrong, and I don't want to jinx it, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we will be in the final now, England, South Africa. Well, yeah, we're the better team. We're the better team. We are just the better team, and we're way better than them, but it doesn't mean to say that Tasman, Brits,

and Maritime Cap can't have a good day. Yeah, and they've got, on paper, they have got a team that you want to be cautious of, haven't they? but it does just feel like when they get into that that spiral of losing wickets they just can't stop it and that's been kind of a bit of a theme for them

but obviously when they go in they can be a team that could score 350 if their top five do fire I know so it'll be a good semi-final either way because even if South Africa aren't good and they get rolled for 100 or we'll feel great and comfortable

or it could be a thriller little shout out to former podcast guest Alana King just throwing out a casual seven I'm 7th against South Africa the other day. I feel like when people come on this podcast, later, then go on and do really well. Yeah.

Should we take it? Speaking of then, yeah, let's take it. And then let's show everybody our guests for this week then, shall we? Because then no doubt she's going to do really well. There you go. Crossie, finally. It was on. It was off.

It was off. It was back on. The only thing that's more consistent than this podcast, Crassie, is Alyssa Healy winning ICC trophies, and we've got her on the podcast. Hello, bitch. Good, I know you're going to talk about my career batting stats being as inconsistent as my appearance was on podcast, but I appreciate you having me on.

No, thank you for joining us. And we did tell our listeners you were coming on on Monday, but obviously, it got in the way. Yeah, it did get in the way, a little bit old and stuff went down. and as per life nowadays, trying to keep things silent is a little bit tricky, but everybody knows now what's going on, so ask away, if you like. Well, how are you? Are you okay? I'm good. I'm good.

Just a little, yeah, a little calf-niggle, a training, probably pretending like I was 21 again and running a little bit further than what I should have, so I learnt my lesson, but everything's tracking okay, so fingers crossed them, still in line for some play in this tournament. Is that not the perfect excuse not to have to run anymore? To be honest with you, I've been telling them this for five years. Yeah. And they just won't let me not run. So, yeah, well, I'm not sure that that is the exact excuse anymore, but anyway, we'll wait and see what unfolds after this. Did you get pulled from the podcast Monday because they didn't trust that you wouldn't tell

everyone you had a little niggle? No. Well, I mean, I think we You can safely say what exactly happened on Monday was, yeah, we weren't sure how we were going to play it. I think fair play to our comms team weren't sure how to play it. And then, obviously, funnily enough, you saw me in the gym sitting sadly on a bike while the rest of the team was at training. So it wasn't exactly a giant secret that something was going on. But we just delayed the podcast a few days.

I also saw you with a bucket of ice. Do you know what? I think people were like, oh, she'll just assume that you're going for beers. And I was like, nobody puts us in their beers, guys. Come on. But I think it's a sacred anymore. And also, I don't, I'm not going to tell anybody. But yeah, anyway, I did see you in the gym.

And then I didn't know you'd message the pod to say you couldn't do it. And then so I felt really rude. I was like, oh, no, I only just put my headphones and I was like, I'll see you. It's fine, guys. We're all okay. We're all good. I need to, you to clarify something for me because your mom once told me off for how I pronounce your name. So I've always called you Alyssa

And she told me off for that It's not Alyssa, is it? It's Elisa. I think you've got to You ought to really get the Aussie twang And get the Elisa in there But if you're really worried about it, Midge is completely fine

That's why I've been calling you Midge for three years Because I've been scared Scared for you when telling me off again She's probably the only one that'll get you And strife for that But yeah, Steve there of Sandy, she'll get you Well, Crossie actually was dreaming about you the other night and she was telling our podcast listeners the other day

she was dreaming about you and she forgot your name and called you smudge in her dream so we all know how weird crossy's dreams are as you discovered before this podcast started. Yeah, I'm a little concerned about that dream right about now but anyway, we'll move on. Yeah, moving on. Anyway, so you're at a World Cup

and it's going well as it often always does for Australia. Obviously, no shock that you qualify for the semi as quickly as you possibly could. But how's things in camp? Are you having some fun out in India and Sri Lanka? Yeah, it's actually gone really quickly, which I don't think too many ODI World Cups you feel like go very, very fast. It's sort of a lot of waiting and watching a lot of games of cricket and waiting for

your turn. But we've obviously been in India about six weeks now after the series we played beforehand. And I haven't heard too many people complaining about, you know, missing home or what's going on. So we've been pretty lucky. The vibes are pretty high in the group, which is a really good place to be. and obviously we're playing some good cricket, which obviously does help that as well. But it's been good fun.

We've been out and about. We haven't been to some of these parts of India before. So kind of getting to know them and finding a decent cafe is everyone's, you know, they enjoy doing that. So it's kind of kept everyone busy. You don't strike me as the best watcher when you're not playing. How could you tell?

You spent a lot of time on the TV the other day with a massive smiling face, then a grump, then a smile. again. How do you find it when you've got a niggle and you have to sit out? Oh, it's genuinely horrific and it's, yeah, it's one of my least favorite things to do because I actually love watching cricket. I'll sit there and watch, you know, most days of whatever's on the TV. It's sort of something I enjoy doing, but actually watching my team go about it when I'm not involved, I get a mad bit of FOMO. So I find it really hard and

the T20 World Cup last year was probably one of the, you know, the hardest games of cricket I've ever had to watch just knowing that you can't do anything, you can't help, you can't go out there and try and do something differently. You've just got to watch it unfold and hope that and trust that the team can get it done. So that was tough. But this one was a little bit easier. I could actually move around a little bit. I could go sit on the boundary and talk to some of the bowlers and still feel like I'm engaged as a captain and I still feel like I'm playing a role in this tournament. So I'll have to be back on the field at some point. So staying engaged in that regard has made it a lot easier. But yeah, Midgecam was out.

the other night, so I've got to be careful about some of my responses to dismissals or opportunities, whatever, have passed by because they don't miss much over here. They really don't. Like, honestly, the camera in the dugout, they had, I think, Volley giving Perry the bird the other day, and I was like, that caught on the telly. Yeah, they don't miss a lot.

I think at one point they got me responding to, something happened on the field, but we were actually talking about someone's bowel movements behind. So they assumed that I was watching their cricket, but we were talking about something else, so you've got to really be careful over here. Has it been more frustrating missing out on that game because of the form that you're in, do you reckon?

Obviously, back to back hundreds in a World Cup's pretty special. Yeah, I mean, I could have walked out there and got a dark A, so maybe it saved me. But, yeah, I think so. I feel like I've been hitting the ball really well for a couple of years and just haven't really been able to stay on the park long enough to sort of find some consistency. But, yeah, I feel in a good play.

I mean, I had actually trained today and I had a bit of a hit and I still feel like I'm going okay in that regard. So I'm sure if the opportunity arises again, I'll be fine. What I want to know, go on. I think we're going to ask the same question. Go on then. I want full honesty. Was there a little bit of you that was worried the other day

when you were 40 odd for 5 or whatever it was? We're 4 for 60. I've not been watching it that closely. sorry. Yeah, why is that? I've played a bit of golf at the minute. I found a new sport. I'm just having a bit of fun in the cold in England.

She's been made redundant is what we're calling it. Yeah. Oh, right. Fair, you never know. They could come calling back. No, I think, look, I mean, honestly, that's been the nature of this whole tournament. You know, teams have struggled at the top, and, you know, you've got a back to the depth that you've got. And I've been saying that for ages.

and even throughout the Ashes sort of last summer, like I backed the depth that we've got to get the job done regardless of the situation. And they continue to just pop up and stick their hand up and want to get the job done, which is really cool. So whilst I think there was frustration, I don't think we were worried at any point. You've brought the Ashes up,

so I'm going to ask about the Ashes. Have you been involved in a better series? Oh, look, I think that was really cool. It was a really amazing experience, I guess, to do that at home as well in front of the home fans. Yeah, it was really special. I think everything sort of came together and we played some really good cricket

and I think probably what frustrated me the most out of that was a lot of the narrative after that series was how poor England were and not a lot about how good we were. And I think that's kind of what we've reflected on it at times and gone. Actually, we were really good in parts and we took the game away from them. Yes, maybe we got some lucky along the way and got some opportunities gifted to us. But I thought we were outstanding. and I think as soon as you guys thought you were, you know, getting a little look in, we shut the door really quickly.

So I think from that perspective, it was a really pleasing summer. Sorry. Is that something quite hard to manage as captain and like with the leadership group that you are just expected to win every game that you play? Yeah, it's tricky, right? I think we also put that expectation ourselves a little bit. Like we want to go out there to win. You're not going out to step on the field to lose or play really poorly.

So we have that expectation of ourselves, but it's also probably reassuring within ourselves as a group that it's okay to lose. And if we're losing the right way, then that's okay. Like if we're playing our style of cricket and we get beaten on the day, then that's completely fine. You know, India, in the ODI series leading in, India got the better of us in that second game. We didn't play the way we wanted to and we probably took that to heart a little bit and then came out and made 400. So there's just sort of certain ways that I think we like to lose as bad as that sounds. And you know what? The T20 World Cup last year and the semi was an example of how we don't want to lose.

We don't want to lose by being tentative, being shy, not taking the game on. We'd rather go out there and be really aggressive and lose that way. Well, I think we spoke to Kingy about this when she came on. But who kind of led the conversations around after that T20 World Cup? Were you a big part of that? Because obviously the ashes followed that and it didn't, you look like a different team completely from that semifinals. So were you a big part of that? to be honest it was everybody this group's like continued to evolve over the years the young players

are coming through feeling really comfortable in their place in this unit and wanting to speak up about how they feel about certain situations so it was actually a really group a really cool group effort everyone spoke in the meeting some people said what they felt at the time and felt under pressure and felt like they they didn't have other options and were actually really honest and people were great at getting around one another and saying well this is what we could do next time this is how we want to go about it. This is what we did, Paul. This is actually what we did really well,

and that didn't come off, right? So that was really cool. It wasn't anyone driving it in particular. Obviously, we got the group together to discuss it, but it was really the group's conversation, and I think everyone got a heap out of that, which was really cool. It feels like you've always been a real honest team when it comes to, even when you win tournaments,

it's like how can we get even better? Yeah, but that's also like the narrative outside our group is like, Australia on a World Cup like how are you going to improve and you're like Christ the people like you know we're doing everything we possibly can like oh the gap keeps closing

that one frustrates me no end I'm like the gap's like not really been there that much it's just that we've been in good positions to win tournaments and trophies we've taken them with both hands right so yeah I'd say that that's probably how we are as people as well you know we never get too far ahead of ourselves in Australia someone will cut you down pretty quickly

until you're pretty sure it's something when you think you're going well. So, yeah, I'd pride ourselves on that, but it's honesty with care. I think if you're having that conversation the right way, then people are going to take it on board a lot better. We won't keep talking about serious stuff for too long because this is no balls. But I remember just going back to the ashes, I remember me and you having a, we met in the tunnel down at the MCG when the test matches going on. How?

Why have you made that weird? Because you had a fight. We didn't have a pie. We actually had, we had probably one of our most serious chats that we've ever had in cricket. But I remember talking to, obviously you had a broken foot at the time and you just made yourself available and passed yourself off as fit to playing a test match. And I remember thinking at the time, I wonder how many male players have ever had to do that in their careers because there is an MCG boxing day test match every single year for your Australian guys. but for you, it was probably one opportunity of playing at the MCG in a test. And I don't really know what my question is, to be honest,

but it's probably more around, it's probably more around like the opportunities that we get as female athletes feel few and further between. So did you feel more pressure to make yourself available for that test because you are at a certain age? I'm not going to say that you're an experienced player. Yeah, did you feel that pressure? Or are you just, I'm going to do anything I can,

to play for this team. A little bit of both. I mean, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't some sort of selfish endeavor to play in that test match because what an occasion it was. And I guess a part of me as well being captain of that in that moment was something that, you know, a young Elisa Healy starting an career never ever thought that she would ever get an opportunity like that. So there was a little bit of that.

But I also trusted my body and I thought I could get through it and I wanted to be a part of it. and the opportunity to go 16-0 was there. It was dangling right in front of us, and I wanted to be a part of that, and I wanted to lead that. So, yeah, it's funny that you mention that because, yeah, I think we probably do that a lot more.

We want to play in those big moments because we don't get them as often as everybody else. But, yeah, I was going to do anything to play that game, and I literally wasn't even in the 11 when I did that presser, so I declared myself fit, and we had to have a conversation after that, but I'd already told everyone, Heather actually at the photo asked me if I was playing and I said don't know yet

and she just looked at me she was bemused and I was like here I am holding the trophy with her like with the pink ball or whatever to promote the game tomorrow and I wasn't even sure if I was playing yet so it was a wild it was a wild week that's for sure ask for forgiveness not permission it's true got through in the end didn't I think someone had a connipion when I chased a ball down to third man probably after I dropped it but I had to chase one down there and everyone had a connection but I was fine Got through it. How much pain were you in?

Did you just take loads of mats? No, I was, genuinely, I was okay. It was a really weird. I had a lot of plan of fash problems, as you've probably read everywhere. And apparently this bone in my foot is a bit of a, can happen after you tear your plan of fash. You can get a little stress in there. And it wasn't, it's not a really important bone in some certain movements.

It was only going to be like keeping that really aggravated it. So I was actually pretty good, to be honest. A few beers helped as well. It was a bone injury, so I was happy. One way of getting out of wicket keeping for five days straight, four days straight. Standing at sleep is ten times worse, so whatever. It was good. Good fun.

One more serious one before emails from our listeners. They're all really excited. But how hard is it to pick your starting 11s? Because you've got so many cricketers. Yeah, it's stuff. Picking our squads of 15, I reckon, is just as hard. come, you know, the end of the financial year. We've got to pick a contract list.

That one's tricky for them. Thankfully, I don't have to do anything about that. But, yeah, 11's tough. It's a tough discussion, you know, when people are fit, when they're not fit, he's coming in to replace them, what job they're going to do. So we're really lucky. We can literally go on match-ups, conditions,

and pick the best 11 we possibly can that we think's going to get the job done. But honestly, any one of the 15 that we've got here, I know they can do the job. So it's not easy. and obviously where the captain gets kind of the final say, but I'm always like, whatever you guys think, whatever you're going to put in front of me, we can get the job done.

So we're pretty lucky. I feel like Australia is the only team in the world that could play under 11th old school cricket where you all just rotate round and everyone has a bowl and everyone has a wicket keep. And then if you're at fight, you just move around. That could actually work. I mean, we got literally take a glossary of it.

Well, actually, I was pretty close to having a bowl against Bangladesh. So you never know what's going to unfold in these last couple of games. I don't get your eyes out for that. I like that. It will happen one day. I don't have a lot of cricket left in me for Australia, but I haven't bowled in international cricket yet. And as captain, I have final saying in that.

So you never know what's going to unfold with the next little bit. I can bowl whatever you need, but you actually bowled a handy, medium pace growing up. Not beautiful scene presentation. Not quite as good as yours across you, but I don't have the one that comes back in. but now I've resorted to dirty sidearm off-spin around the wicket to the tail enders,

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I imagine you were quite fiery as a seamer. You got a bit of sledge. In fact, we've got to talk about your sledging. We can't go on to anything else before we don't talk about your sledge in. But, yeah, I imagine you'd have a proper sledge if you were bowling. Well, to be honest, you, my fastballing career lasted two games in under 11s, and then I became the wiki keeper, and I've been stuck there ever since. But I am a little bit lippy in the nets, and I remind the baddies of when they get out.

So, yeah, I'm not great. I don't think I could do fast bowling and be terrible. I think you've actually got a bit tamer in your old age, you know. Quieter. You're definitely quiet behind the stumps. Well, I think international crickets change so much. And I literally said this the other night, but I obviously wasn't playing against England. And I'm lying in bed icing, and my phone buzz is about 8.30 p.m.

And it's Sophie Eccleston messaging me. And I'm like, 10 years ago, this would not be a thing. like I wouldn't want to borrow it like I don't want to know like put me out on the field I just want to beat whoever's in front of me and I'm going to do everything I can to possibly do that right but now you're playing with everyone around the world you're getting these amazing opportunities and you know if you're too much of what I've learned if you're too much of around the world then everyone starts to hate you but I think what people have what people have come to realize is I'm really competitive and I'm really passionate and I care a lot about the

teams that I'm a part of and I think once you play alongside me the opinion changes a little bit So that's kind of nice, I think, for me to probably showcase that to other people. And it's definitely, I've definitely quietened down a little bit in my older age, but I'm still as competitive as ever. I remember Ash is 20, when did we have the good test match? Was that 23? Yeah, Manica. Yeah, but in the ODI bit, I remember I came out, I was back with Catherine for a little while

and got a couple, like literally a couple of runs, got about 10. And you just, I turn around to you and I was like, no, she's going to say something. And you just, you asked me if you could have my bat, because it sounded really good. And I was like, why are you being nice? And then that got in my head more than you sledging me. Yeah. Yeah, well, there you go. See, sometimes it's just about knowing which banta works in what situations.

I think the hardest thing I've, the hardest thing I've ever done in my career was when I got the pair at Marnaker in that test match. And I copped an almighty gobful from Brunt on the way through. and Ray Chains was actually at the non-strikers end and thought she was going to have to run in there and stop a fight, but I just kept it all in and kept walking because you know it's about it, you got nothing, you got nothing to say.

I just got a period of test match, yell and scream all you like, it's fine, just let it all out and then I'm going to go back to the chain room and cry. But sometimes there's just like nothing you can do about it, but it's good fun. I don't think I've ever been on the end of a sledge from you because I was buying it 11, so there's no need. I got one from Moons once during the WBBL.

She's like, oh, here she is the, best batter i was like mate you know i'm going to get a duck you just had to hit the stump and i did god's sake did he get like four ducks in a row i did yeah yeah i was and i think i'm quite proud of it but the worst overseas sign in the wbbls ever had well can i put it this way for you like i'm not seeing out for you but i am but like the opening batters right face the best bowlers in the world first up the tail end is face of the best bowlers in the world at the back end so I mean, but we're both in the same boat a little bit. So ducks are okay.

It happens. Look, that click that up and put it on socials. And the tail end just don't get as much time in the net. So. No, you don't. You definitely don't. You just do what you can. I mean, your four defense crossy and that test match was unbelievable.

So that's all you go. Oh my God. How frustrating was that to watch, Mitch? Oh, it was. You know what? It was just so good. And I think if you watch it back. No, if you watch it back.

I'm smiling the whole time because it is just absolute theatre that we've come down to the last half an hour of play. It was remarkable, but not frustrating, just funny to be a part of. I remember, so I've walked out, wait, we'll talk about the test match for a bit more. I walk out and I turn to Lisa and I was like, Lisa, what we're doing here? Are we going for the win? Because I was 11 in that game and she's like, mate, don't lose it. So I was like, oh, okay. So I've got that in my head and I'm going out to back with Sophie Eccleston.

So first ball, I think T-Max bowling at me, like this juicy, half-folly, I'm like, right, this is full, swing and miss. You catch it behind the stumps and you're like, next ball, I said, God, I need to get my head on here. I was like, I'm going to just not lose this game. Next ball, same ball, swing and miss. I was like, oh, God, right, I've got to start defending it now. I just love that, Kingie Bowl, do you the juiciest full toss I've ever seen, and I've never seen a better, more discipline for defence in my life. I had to get on top of it because as it came down

it was like above my eye line I was like having to defend it down. Yeah, it was wild but fair play man, well done. Good fun, good game. Great picture as well. It's one of my favourite pictures in my career is all of you surrounding me defending a full cost.

Yeah, it was good fun. So good. We've had our listeners get in touch and we have no idea where these questions are going to go because we've not looked at them but there will be some weird and wonderful things. We've had, oh, this is actually quite a good one. I don't know who it is.

Hers Only underscore 5 says which Siver Brunt has given you more stress in your career. Oh. Catherine's probably kept me up more at night because of stress about the next day. But I'd say that Nat's probably given us more stress as a unit. So both, equal. She does well against you, doesn't she not? Yeah, she loves it. Sometimes, some players just like match up really well against our bowling attack

and she's one of those. Ritty Mandano as well, like, what the hell? Like, it's just, I don't know. I don't know what it is, but I think we're just going to bowl a few lob-ups and see if they can hit them instead. Yes. Threes out. About four tosses out?

33% of them get wickets. Yeah. We've had a question from Susie B, who is, an Australian and she says what brand of gum do you chew while you're playing? Because I often wonder when you're out there for too long, how does it become tasteless? So, yeah, what are you chewing?

Yeah, a bit of extra. Spearmint, not the blue one. Peppermint sucks. Spearmint is my go-to. And I fit as many as I possibly can just to keep my anxiety levels at an acceptable point. What? So do you last until the drink, right? No, like I, when I go out to bat, I just chew up until I get tired and I'm normally puffing.

So, you know, but if I get through to the drinks break, I don't use it after that. Thank you. Oh, really? I work really hard on it. Yeah. Between sledging and chewing gum, it's a quality workout. Shizzled. Jay Cook says, who's the better cricketer, you or your fella?

You've got more trophies, right? I do. It doesn't necessarily make me any better. Thankfully, we both do. Yeah. There we go. Actually, to be completely honest, Mitch is the more sentimental one than I am. So he actually had to peel all of mine out of a box and, like, put them up beautifully

in a nice display. I've actually just like piled them all in a box and off I go. I'll look at them later in life. But I don't know. We both do different things. I think what he does is really impressive and how his career has panned out has been pretty cool to watch so maybe him do you have a no cricket rule when you get home like you can't talk about cricket um we can't give on another advice that's probably the only

it's not off limits but it's probably like not really on because on a bow left arm seam and he doesn't bat properly so um that's a that's a no go but we do talk about cricket like I said I love watching cricket he doesn't like watching it at all so I'll often have it on the TV and he'll go matherland so it works well didn't he commentate on was it the test was it the pair test match yeah he like he actually loves it um he won't he won't do any sort of cons on any of the men's cricket but he's happy to do it on the women's game and i like he's around our groups a lot um yeah he knows everyone he understands the game probably more than anybody else knowing our conversations at the time right so he's actually a really good one to have um in

there because he gets it he was there during the ashes he'd be like come on else stir the pot if they don't ask me twice. Say something else. Do it again. WBBL fan page have asked, do you still get discount at KFC? And I have to ask, and I need confirmation, is this you?

Yeah, that's me. Yeah, I love it. You working in KFC? Yeah, I was at uni studying marine biology and I was working at KFC and absolutely loved it. They were training me up, actually, to be, no, can I see you're our main sponsor? So I get, like, give vouchers and stuff there now, but, you know, elite athlete, I don't need it to.

Of course, yeah, of course. Yeah, of course. I thought that was AI, and it's really weird that it's now doing the rounds again. Yeah, so I was literally being trained up to be the manager of that restaurant, and I got picked to go to the 2010 World Cup. And I literally walked in there and was like, guys, I've just got a pick for a show. I've got to go to a World Cup. I don't think I can work here anymore.

And they were like, oh, we'll keep you on the books. We'll keep you on the books if you want some shifts when you come home, never went back. So I could actually still be on the books at Concord KFC. So shout out to them, not coming back. Amazing. But marine biologists, did that take a back seat as well? You're not, are you going to go into that later in life, do you think? No, I sadly fell about five subjects short.

In Australia, you can only defer for 10 years, I think it is. and I got to my 10th year and the uni finally booted me out. So I fell five subjects short, but I think if I did a teaching degree, I could teach science. So, yeah, there you go. Oh, wow. Then there's me that just got scraped through my GCSEs. Pezzies world says, you're back in form.

Did someone promise you unlimited beer? Oh, stiff. No. I found some rhythm. Yes, nice, nice. Yeah. Who looks after the dogs when you're both on tour? Yeah, good question.

Actually, we moved to house about 12 months ago and a lot of our family, Mitch's family, actually live like on the property now. So they actually just look after the dog and they've got a young child. Wait, wait, wait. How big? No, no, no.

How big's your house? Did you need a big a house for the trophies? No, but in Australia right now, and as you guys could probably attest to in the UK as well, like everyone lives on top of one another now. So we actually found some land out a little bit, still in Sydney, out a little bit. So we got a couple of acres of land with a beautiful house.

And some of our family moved in because I've got a young child and it's expensive in Sydney. So they look after the dog when we are gone. and it helps them because they've got to get, like I said, they've got a young kid and it gives them a good night's sleep, so they're pretty happy about it. So like a bit of charity work as well. You're giving back to your community. It's family. Giving back to the family. Yeah, it is a, it's a stark hostel at the moment. There's a lot of them living there, but it is good fun. I actually don't come from a big family, so to have family around is quite nice for me.

That's cool. We should get, we'll get an invite to the house, obviously, when we're next in Australia, won't we? Yeah, more than welcome any time. I've offered that. As long as we're looking after the dogs. That's it. What's the smallest object you could use as a cricket bat and still hit six with? Good question. Oh, Jesus.

I reckon you could get away with a hockey stick. So, I mean, it'd take a serious effort, but hockey stick is quite, I mean, it's longer, but it's thinner. Golf club? Oh, no, that did snap. A cricket ball would not work. Oh, yeah, true. You like your golf as well, don't you?

You've got a little, you've got a little husband and wife golf day or something, a little trophy. Yeah, we do. We play for a perpetual trophy, yeah. Ask how that one's going. Yeah, I think I'm five from six of years of it, or five from seven maybe. I think Mitch one last year, so, yeah, I've got to dig up the slack a little bit. Do you put that in your trophy cabinet? Oh, it's front and center.

it actually sits on the bar so our trophy cabinet is like tucked away in another room no one really sees but the steely cup sits front and center in the bar steely cup that's a great name yeah good thank you um litchie i don't think it is phoebe just says um if you make runs with a certain bat do you keep it until it breaks down yeah i'm actually um i don't go through too many bats throughout my career um i've probably the one i'm currently using i've had for the last three years I reckon. It just gets, actually, minus lavishains.

I stole it off him in England a few years ago. Does he know? Yeah, I wore him down. I was in his ear the whole time. That's the best bat in your bag. I want it. I want it, and he finally just caved and gave it to me.

And I've used it for last like three seasons, I think. Yeah, the only bad I've retired properly is I put the 170 from the, sorry, put the 170 from the World Cup away. Oh, God's sake. Sorry, and the T20 World Cup. Yeah, and they're the only two bats of think I've retired the T20 World Cup at the MCG and the 170. I've put them away and everyone, all the others I just have used right throughout my career. So, yeah, I don't go through too many.

I wish I had that conundrum. Should I retire a bat? I don't think I've scored 170 altogether with any of mine. My, your bat sounded good, remember? I think you should hang on to that one. You can have that one, mate. You can use that one if you want. Thank you.

Okay, here we go. Big Mick says, if you were stuck on a desert island, which teammate would you want to be stuck with? Probably in the Aussie team. Probably like Georgia Wareham or someone like that. I feel like she'd be quite handy and could probably get us off the desert island. So that would be useful. Either that or like Moons, because Moons and I'd be on the opposite sides of the island

and we'd just kept ourselves and be completely fine. and we'd high-five every day on the way through, and it'd be good fun. Or Belze, because then Belze's dad could just helicopter you off. Yes. Yeah, they'd find, I think if I was on an island with Annabelle Sond, they'd find us real quick. So, yeah, if that might be a good one. This is actually a really good one, and I've been quite vocal about it.

Have you been frustrated with the weather during this World Cup, especially in Colombo? Yeah, and this is probably another sign of me maturing in my old age, is I actually feel, I feel really, really sad for the teams that have had rain-affected games or washouts that have ultimately affected their World Cubs. I mean, you know, for Sofd-Vind to sit in that press conference kind of talk about a loss, but know that they're out of the World Cup, basically because two games got washed out in Kalambar, I think is devastating.

And, you know, you train four years for these opportunities and to have rain play such a massive part in it, it's just not fair. So even for the likes of Pakistan to be as heavily affected as what they are. forced to play there. Yeah, it's been hard to watch and it's been really frustrating. I mean, we were lucky enough to get through one game. We had one wash out, but we played one. So we're pretty lucky in that regard.

But it's ultimately has affected this World Cup and it's a bit of a shame. Very political well done. I've flagged it off every day. Yeah, well, that's your job. You're paid to do that. I'm still paid by the ICC. Especially when you take the prize money. One more.

One more because we've had you. probably a bit longer than we should have done. We've mentioned beer a few times. So Litchie's back asking what's the weirdest thing that you've done while celebrating? Just one because there's probably heaps. The weirdest thing I've done while celebrating. Funniest thing I've heard about, and I wasn't there because I was still battling concussion, but in the 2018, sorry, sorry again.

In the 2018 World Cup final. I'm so sorry. Sorry, I'm so good. We meet England in the final. The girls actually, I went to bed, but the girls went out, we're in the West Indies and they have like those floating little things you can sit on out in the water and they've attached to the bottom of the ocean. Well, the girls got in one and unclipped it and decided to go and try and steal a boat

out in the middle of the ocean. So they were floating out to sea on one of these things at some ungodly hour. Funnily enough, it was right around the time that breakfast was reopening. So all of these older couples that were staying at the resort were watching all this unfold. And I went down to Brecky a little bit later and this couple came up to me and said, did you get there? And I said, oh, well, what do you mean? And she goes, oh, the girls on the little life boy thing, did they get to the boat?

Did they get it? And I was like, I have no idea what you're talking about it. And it turns out later they got there and then got booted off really quickly and got told to put it back. So I think that's probably one of the funniest ones I've heard about it. Can you name some names? No. Perry. Kelly. No way. I did not think she'd be doing that. Yeah, I'm happy to name Pez in that.

There was a little Victorian crew, so you can figure that out. I think they had a good time. The best ones are when you stroll back in for breakfast, like that, like, and you haven't been to bed yet. I think I went snorkeling after the West Indies in 2010. I went snorkeling about 6 a.m. And that was not cool because I hadn't slept. So that was not the most safe thing I've ever done. But it was good fun. And Crossy, you've got the fine. classic no balls question it's kind of the only thing we've asked

the Aussies though isn't it so we asked pears or someone emailed in and said to pears what is the biggest animal that you could catch if it was fired out of a cannon at you and she said that she reckoned she could catch a wombat kingy said koala because it kind of grip onto it

and then we did we sent it to sof divine and she said a manatee which just feels wild thinking about it because they're about 180 slippery and big massive but she's a strong gal so we've got to ask you if we fired an animal out of a cannon at you what what do you think's the biggest one you could catch you know what i'm going to go with like a bird of some sort so i reckon i could catch i reckon i could catch an emu if you fired that at me i reckon at some point i could grab it so whether it's by its yeah whether it's its body like i could probably get that or i could grab its neck on the way through

I reckon so an evening. As it's trying to fly. Like a javel in. Yeah, we'll get it. Yeah, it would catch it. Okay. We're going to make a day of it anyway. We'll get you all in.

We'll get the cannon. We'll get the animals. We'll do it at your house, actually. It feels like you've got enough space. I'm an animal lover, so I won't be taking part in shooting anything out of the cannon. But it has a heartbeat, thank you very much. But we could put some plush toys in there. Let's try that.

It won't get past H-R, don't worry. No, but it could be funny. Heels, thank you so much for joining us and we hope that you're back out on the park I appreciate it, thanks for having me Good luck, Lisa Thank you Rossi, I got a text today

because a little bit of that podcast was played out in the interval of the radio I tease everybody about the podcast I got a text saying she's annoyingly likable and I couldn't agree more because she really, really wanted, it's Alyssa Healy, and she's so good and she's been that, Lisa.

She's been that player over the years where you want to hate her and you do an interview like that and she's so humble and so kind and you just actually really like her. I loved how much she hated when we spoke about how big her house was. She's just got this acreage of land that she's letting family members just reside on

as long as they look after her dogs. Yeah, I was like, hang on, hang on, let's go, let's talk about how much land you have. yeah she really seemed quite reluctant to invite us but we did invite ourselves on the podcast so she couldn't seem rude and not follow through with that well she did say to you you you're always invited i'm not sure i quite got that invite yeah but i don't actually know her that well i've never played with her she's one of those few players that you feel like when when she's on your team you like you'd really get on with her but she's bloody annoying to play against

and i've never had the opportunity to play with her so i've always just kind of been annoyed by her because she just scores loads of runs against us. And then we had the opportunity. It would have been my first year of Superchargers and she was our overseas player and she got injured and couldn't come over. And I remember being quite apprehensive about our personalities clashing,

but now I know that we would have got on so well. We would have been probably the pranksters in the dressing room. There's always the next time. Always there is. But she was a belter, wasn't she? Very good interview. Hope you all enjoyed it. What's happening next?

Probably there'll be a walk-up winner while the time we next. do a podcast. That's exciting, isn't it? Oh, we might have to emergency pod if England make the final. Yeah, okay, fair enough. Yeah. Crossy, I want you to get in touch with us and all the listeners, please and thank you. Yes, you can email us on no ballspodcast at bbc.com.com.com.

No balls podcast at bbc.com.com. It's so good. They said it twice. And you can WhatsApp us on 023-1826. And you can text us on 8th, double one, double one. And please start your message with no balls, all one word. Otherwise, we won't find you. I love how we've got that.

Like, you always do, start your message. We've just got it down to a tea these days. We've got it. It's because we've pinned the message again so we know what our email and our WhatsApp number is. Yeah, because five years later, we have no idea. Cross it, I will see you in about 10 days. you will be doing because you're home soon.

Big good luck to England in the semi-final. It's obviously always so special to get through to the knockout stages of World Cups and everyone is behind you, so go and do us all proud. Let's go. Bye. Towards backwards, straight league and the catch is taken.

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