Watch: Alyssa Healy creates new world record for the highest catch
What's the story?
Australian wicket-keeper batsman Alyssa Healy has outstripped her memorable summer by breaking the record books, by claiming the highest catch of a cricket ball. The 28-year-old took a couple of attempts before finally making it stick inside her gloves.
In case you didn't know...
Alyssa Healy, the better half of one of the most feared fast bowlers in world cricket, Mitchell Starc, is one of the stalwarts in the women's national team.
Known for her positive approach with the bat and fantastic work behind the stumps, Healy recently took home the most number of accolades in the Australian Cricket Awards, including the coveted Belinda Clark Award and Female ODI Player of the Year.
The heart of the matter
The above feat achieved by her was released to mark tickets going on sale a year out from the Women's T20 World Cup in Australia, as they prepare to set a new record for the attendance at a women's sporting event.
Presently, the highest attendance recorded is that of 90,185, set at the FIFA Women's World Cup final 1999, which was hosted in California.
Regardless of whether the highly anticipated Women's T20 garners the largest crowd or not, the beloved Healy has registered her name in the Guinness Book of World Records.
She had three attempts at catching the ball that was dropped by a drone from about 80 meters above the ground. After the first two drops, she finally hung on to one and ran around to celebrate. The previous record, set at 62 meters, was held by Kristan Baumgartner in 2016.
Speaking of the same, she remarked:
"After I didn't get a hand on the first practice and then the next one went straight through my gloves there was cause for concern. You don't get the cue from the ball going up in the air off the bat and it was swinging a lot on the way down because it just gets dropped."
Healy continued:
"As you can tell in the video, it was pure elation to get it, I didn't want everyone to come and not get the record so when I'd secured it in the gloves I carried on like a bit of a pork chop, but overjoyed to break the record."
Watch:
What's next?
The Women in Yellow take on bitter rivals New Zealand in the first of three ODIs tomorrow, 22 February.