Australian cricket’s power couple Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy join unusual club

Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy are the power couple of Australian cricket, and they can now lay claim to a new moniker – Mr and Mrs 99.

Only 12 cricketers have recorded a highest Test score one short of a century.

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Two of them happen to be married – Australia’s women’s captain Healy and men’s pace star Starc.

Healy appeared destined to become the first woman to score an international ton in all three formats when she raced into the 90s in the Test against South Africa at the WACA Ground on Thursday.

But on 99, and with sweat dripping down her face in the 42C heat, Healy chipped a catch back to Delmi Tucker to lose her wicket one run shy of the milestone.

The skipper was understandably despondent as she trudged off.

But at least she didn’t have to look far for consolation – husband Starc was dismissed for the same score in a Test against India in 2013.

“I sat in the showers for 15 minutes after getting out,” Healy told Fox Cricket.

“I don’t really play for personal milestones but we don’t play Test cricket that much.

“So it stings a little bit. Mitch said, ‘If there’s one thing in our cricket careers I can relate to, it’s getting out for 99’.

“What a unique sport we play. And what a unique relationship we have that we can have these weird moments.

“But at least we can share that one for the rest of our lives.”

As for being the only couple with a highest Test score of 99?

“It is a bizarre thing. I wish it wasn’t us,” Healy told Channel 7.

“I wish it was another married couple, but that’s OK.

“(WA Cricket chief executive) Christina Matthews said to me this morning that everyone gets 100, not everyone gets a 99, so that’s the way you need to look at it.”