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Why Ian Healy was getting "so angry" watching Cooper Connolly's Champions Trophy innings
Charles Goodsir ⹠ March 5th, 2025 1:16 pm
Former Australian wicket keeper and SENQâs Ian Healy has delivered a scathing assessment of Cooper Connollyâs innings in the Champions Trophy semi-final against India.
Connolly was a late addition to Australiaâs Champions Trophy squad a few days prior and was surprisingly picked to open the batting ahead of specialist opener Jake Fraser-McGurk.
The 21-year-old West Australian looked out of his depth against Indiaâs bowling attack and was dismissed for a nine-ball duck after a flurry of swing and misses.
Australia was dismissed for 264 with India eventually chasing down the target with four wickets and 11 balls in hand.
âI got so angry,â Healy said on SENQ Breakfast.
âTravis Head was gesturing about how slow the wicket was to his partner (in Connolly).
âCooper Connolly just kept swinging. In those conditions, you have to work the ball around into gaps and not swing (for the fences).
âHe faced nine balls for nought. A duck and he played and missed at the first eight and then nicked the ninth.
âHe was swiping away, square on the off-side and just not watching the ball at all.
âMohammad Shami was the bowler and I was just getting so angry. It was such poor thinking and when youâre batting in tough conditions, you have got to work hard.
âThere were three and a half hours of hard work (to be had there) and it was just reckless thinking rather than getting the ball on the bat and using your footwork.
âConnollyâs footwork was absent, his shot selection was poor and his technique of the shot was poor because he wasnât watching the ball.
âHis head was watching the gap (in the field) where he thought the ball was going to go and he kept missing it all the time.â
India will either face New Zealand or South Africa in the 2025 Champions Trophy Final.
