Alyssa Healy has been left encouraged by her winning return to international cricket after a six-month injury absence.
Her breezy knock in a win for Australia A over India A in Mackay on Thursday suggested she's well on course to lead the World Cup 50-over defence in October.
Healy, batting for the first time since January when she oversaw the Ashes triumph, made a swift 27 off just 18 balls at the top of the order, kicking off Australia A's 13-run win in the first T20 international that kicked off a multi-format series.
The 35-year-old looked in good nick, the only player to seem really at home early in the contest at the Great Barrier Reef Arena after Australia A had been put in to bat, as she clocked five boundaries before feeling irritated to get caught off Sajeevan Sajana's spin when in full flow.
Australia A went on to make 6-137, largely thanks to an unbeaten 50 from Anika Learoyd, before India could only respond with 5-124 after being tied down by Kim Garth (0-15 off four), Amy Edgar (2-23), Tess Flintoff (2-23) and Sianna Ginger (2-26).
Healy was just delighted to be back after an injury-plagued spell, having missed the finals of last year's T20 World Cup with a foot injury before a knee issue ended her WBBL season early. She then had to sit out ODIs in New Zealand and the WPL in India.
"Off to a good start, another disappointing dismissal, but that's okay," Healy said of her return.
"I've done a lot of hitting in the nets, and haven't really had any time out in the middle for a long period of time, so it was nice to just get back out there, and hopefully the decision-making will start kicking back in at some point."
Healy, who will return to wicketkeeping duties in the ODIs against India A in Brisbane next week, sounded confident things are going well with her batting.
"Throughout all the injuries and what-not, I actually was hitting the ball really well," she said.
"I was actually probably batting as well as what I had for a period of time.
"So I didn't really feel like any technical changes needed to be made, it was just having some time out in the middle.
"Decision-making is a big part of the game, and you don't really know if you're hitting or missing until you're out there in the middle. So that's what these games are for and, hopefully, I can rectify that."
