Australia captain Alyssa Healy has declared herself "good to go" for Thursday's historic women's Ashes Test at the MCG but conceded the final decision on whether she plays will not be up to her with the team to be announced at the toss.
Meanwhile, England captain Heather Knight confirmed Sophia Dunkley will come back into the Test side after missing the last game in South Africa as a seventh batter but Kate Cross has been ruled out despite training yesterday, with a decision to be made by England whether to play two spinners or three specialist seamers in the attack.
Healy attending the captain's press conference in her full whites and her baggy green the day before the Test on Wednesday appeared a clear indication that her recovery from a foot injury has gone well, and that she was preparing to play the game after getting through a solid training session on Tuesday. She also posed for photos with Knight and went and looked at the pitch prior to training.
But despite declaring herself ready to play, she could not confirm whether she was locked into the XI as the selectors are set to make the final decision on Wednesday evening.
"I'm good to go," Healy said with a smile. "The final XI hasn't quite been decided upon just yet, but I'm standing here in front of you without a moon boot, saying I'm ready to go."
Healy confirmed that the decision would be a joint one between the selectors and the medical staff as to her availability.
"I think a bit of both," Healy said. "I think the medical staff have been really supportive of not necessarily what I've wanted to do, but just the opportunity to potentially even push to play in this Test match in particular. They've been awesome. We've done everything we possibly can to get myself in a position to put my hand up and say, I'm ready to go. There's a little bit taken out of my hands in that regard and obviously we still want to do the best by the team. But I'm excited and I feel like, body wise, I'm ready to get out there and lead the side in a Test match which is cool."
Healy said she had pulled up well after running, fielding and batting at training on Tuesday and also confirmed she would not need much pain management throughout the game. She also said there were very few fears of her doing any more damage to the stress injury in her foot.
"It's been surprising to me every single day that I've done some stuff, just how well it's responded," Healy said. "I was pushed pretty hard yesterday. I think you all saw me. I was blowing a fair bit.
"Obviously we've done that on purpose to try and see what I can and can't get through and I've pulled up really well. So I'm really positive moving forward.
"There's a bit of unknown as to how the four days will pan out. But I think at the moment I'm on as little medication as possible, which I think is a huge sign. The fact that I can get through what I can without any, always means you can add more, right? But we've sought a lot of advice, a lot of specialist advice as to what it might look like moving forward, and there's no real evidence to suggest that it might go any further than what it currently is. So that's positive signs for me, and probably gave me the mental nod as well to go, yep, I think I can push to try and play. So I'm confident getting through four days, and hopefully it can do just that."
Healy not being able to keep does change the composition of the top order. Beth Mooney will take the gloves but will not open as a result. Mooney has opened in five of her seven Test matches, including the last three Australia have played. Australia's top seven has been unchanged in those three matches with Mooney opening alongside Phoebe Litchfield while Healy has batted at No. 5. Healy said she was happy to bat anywhere but no decision has been made. Georgia Voll is the only other option to make her Test debut if Healy is ruled out by the selectors.
"Moons coming down the order is a bit of a shift, and we're going to have to make a decision at the top," Healy said. "I'm more than happy to bat anywhere for Australia. I think everybody knows that. So whether it's me, great, if it's not me, then obviously there's a pretty obvious candidate."
Healy took a look at the MCG surface which had a typical covering of green grass on it. Whether it will play the same as it does for the men in Tests and Sheffield Shield cricket remains to be seen. Australia are wrestling with the fact that it is typically a seamer friendly track but their spinners have been the dominant force in this Ashes so far, and in the previous Ashes Test win in 2023.
England are facing a similar debate having played six batters, three quicks and two spinners in their last Test win in South Africa. Knight confirmed that Dunkley will come in which means a bowler will miss out.
"We've got 12 at the moment, we're just deciding on the final bowler," Knight said. "Obviously, in the last Test match we went for an extra bowler because of the proximity to the Ashes. But in this Test match, we're going to play the extra batter, so Sophia Dunkley will come in from that Test match. And then we're just deciding between a seamer or a spinner for that final spot. We'll have another look at the wicket tonight."
There's no room for Cross however. Despite getting through two spells at training yesterday, she is not quite fit enough to play in the Test match.
"Kate Cross is unfortunately not going to be playing," Knight said. "She's been amazing. She's worked so diligently to try and get over her [back] injury. Worked really hard, but she hasn't quite been able to get back to her pace and her performance level. Really gutted for her, because she's a key member for us, and it's been really great to have her back around the group actually the last couple of days, she's a huge member of the team and a leader in this group."