Australian wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy’s catching ability has reached new heights after achieving a new Guinness World Records title.
In a real test of skill organised by International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup Australia at the world-famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Healy set a new record for the highest catch of a cricket ball.
Needing to beat 62 m (203 ft 4.9 in) achieved by amateur cricketer Kristan Baumgartner (UK) in November 2016, the 28-year-old actually surpassed the previous best three times on the hallowed MCG turf.
After successfully catching the ball released by a drone at 65.2 m and 72.3 m, the Australian international's final record now stands at 82.5 m (270.66 ft)
Afterwards, a bowled over Alyssa said: "It was pure elation to get the Guinness World Records title. 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."
The record attempt was organised to mark one year until the start of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup which gets underway on 21 February 2020.
The final of the 23-match tournament will be played at the MCG on 8 March 2020 – International Women's Day.
Healy was the 2018 ICC T20 International Player of the Year, achieving the Belinda Clark Medal at the Australian Cricket Awards earlier this month.
She has won four ICC T20 World Cup titles (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018) and was player of the tournament at the most recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2018.
Doug Male, Head of PR, EMEA APAC, Guinness World Records, said: "This record attempt has been an opportunity to inspire women in sport to achieve greatness."
"Guinness World Records wants to help people realise their potential and to re-examine the world."
The MCG, venue for the record attempt, has numerous records of its own, including the largest cricket ground (100,024 capacity), first Test match (15-19 March 1877 between Australia and England) and highest attendance for a single day of a Test match (91,092 on day one of the Boxing Day Test/4th Ashes Test between Australia and England on 26 December 2013).
Meanwhile the highest catch of a cricket ball record has previously been held by former England captain Nasser Hussain, who set the record at 32 m (104 ft 11.8 in) at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London (UK) in 2016.
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