The Australian wicket-keeper batter and skipper, Alyssa Healy, shared the full story behind her photo, during her early days before being called up to Australia’s squad for the World Cup in 2010, that went viral, in an interaction with the No Balls Cricket Podcast, featuring England internationals, Kate Cross and Alex Hartley.
The interaction featured a throwback photo of Alyssa Healy working at KFC that went viral online. When she was asked whether it was her in the photo?
Healy, never one to shy away from a laugh, confirmed it herself. “Yeah, it’s me, I was at Uni studying Marine Biology, and I was working at KFC, and I absolutely loved it.”
That one sentence melted the internet. Fans couldn’t get enough of imagining the world‑class wicketkeeper‑batter once serving fries and keeping an eye on the drive‑through orders. It’s a classic Healy moment — open, funny, and deeply relatable.
Then followed up with the question that the fan wanted to ask: Does she still get the KFC employee discount? Healy laughed it off, replying, “No, KFC are our main sponsor, so I get gift vouchers and stuff there now, but elite athletes, I don’t eat it.”
That’s Healy humour in a nutshell; playful honesty mixed with professional discipline. The transition from handing out crispy chicken to taking on global cricket tournaments seems wild, but her story shows just how quickly life can twist when talent meets opportunity.
The moment that truly stole the show was when Healy explained how her KFC days abruptly ended in 2010. “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.
“I literally walked in there and I was like guys I have just got picked for Australia I gotta go to a world cup, I don’t think I can work here anymore and they were like we will 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.”
It’s a story that feels grounded, cheeky, and heartwarming all at once. The image of one of the greatest wicket keepers of her era still technically being “on the books” at her local KFC has fans in stitches.
Alyssa Healy’s journey shows that greatness often starts in the most unexpected places. Her authenticity continues to endear her to fans who see not just the elite athlete, but the everyday person she’s always been.
And somewhere out there, the Concord KFC crew still probably smiles knowing their one‑time trainee traded her apron for green and gold gloves — never forgetting where it all began.
Loves all things female cricket