Both Australian sides, men and women, are in action at the international level. Australia led by the veteran 34-year-old wicket-keeper batt er Alyssa Healy is hosting England led by skipper Heather Knight for a historic Pink-ball Test match, the first of its kind at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from 30th January 2025 (Thursday) to 2nd February 2025 (Sunday), part of the ongoing 8th edition of the multi-format Women’s Ashes.
On the other hand, the Australian men’s team led by stand-in skipper Steven Smith is in Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series followed by a two-match ODI series from 29th January 2025 (Wednesday) to 14th February 2025 (Friday).
A rarest of rare occasions occurred in cricketing history as the Australian cricket power couple of Alyssa Healy and 35-year-old veteran left-arm speedster Mitchell Starc became the first married couple to simultaneously play in a Test match. There have been a couple of married partners, one from England and one from Sri Lanka who have played Test cricket, but none of them have played a Test match simultaneously for their respective countries.
It was on 31st January 2025 (Friday) that both the Australian cricket couples Alyssa Healy (Vs England at the MCG) and Mitchell Starc (Vs Sri Lanka at Galle) were seen representing Australia in Test Match cricket at the international level. The duo is making their 287th international appearance for Australia in the same game. On 15th April 2016, the Australian cricketing duo tied the knot for a lifetime of togetherness.
The veteran 34-year-old Australian women’s team skipper Alyssa Healy from Queensland made her international debut for Australia on 10th February 2010 in an ODI against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval in the 1st ODI of the Rose Bowl series. She scored a quick-fire 21 off 11 balls with the bat for her side in her debut innings at the international level. She has 115 appearances in the format for her side so far.
She has scored 3,198 runs at a strike rate of 97.67 and an impressive average of 34.76 in 103 innings with the bat for her side so far. Her tally of runs included 18 half-centuries and 5 centuries in the format for Australia so far. Her best performance with the bat for her side in the format came on 3rd April 2022 in the Women’s ODI World Cup final against England, when she smashed 170 (138 balls), powering them to a humongous total on the board at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. She was also awarded the Player of the Match for her match-defining innings with the bat for her side.
She made her T20I debut on 21st February 2010 against New Zealand in the 1st T20I at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart. She has 162 appearances in the format so far for her side. She has scored 3,054 runs at an impressive strike rate of 129.79 and an average of 25.45 in 143 innings with the bat for her side in the format so far. Her tally of runs includes 17 half-centuries and a century against Sri Lanka in the 3rd T20I when she scored an unbeaten century 148* (61 balls) at the North Sydney Oval, Sydney.
She made her red-ball debut on 22nd January 2011 against England at the Bankstown Oval, Sydney. She is playing in her 10th Test match. She has scored 489 runs at a strike rate of 56.86 and an average of 30.56 in 16 innings with the bat for her side so far. Her tally of runs includes three half-centuries, with her best performance with the bat for her side coming against South Africa on 17th February 2024, when she scored 99 (124 balls) at the W.A.C.A, Perth.
Mitchell Starc made his international debut on 20th October 2010, in an ODI against India. He has 244 wickets at an average of 23.40 and an economy of 5.26 in 127 appearances for Australia in the format. His tally of wickets includes 12 four-wicket hauls and 9 five-wicket hauls in the format for his side. He made his Test debut on 1st December 2011 against New Zealand. He has 378 wickets at an average of 27.67 and an economy of 3.41 in his 95th appearance in the format for Australia. His wickets tally in the format includes 15 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls in the format so far.
He made his T20I debut on 7th September 2012 against Pakistan. He has 79 wickets at an average of 23.81 and an economy of 7.74 in 65 appearances for Australia in the format so far. His tally of wickets includes one four-wicket haul in the format for his side so far.
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