The real reason Alyssa Healy was forced to undergo hand surgery following mysterious ‘domestic accident’

Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy has undergone surgery on her hand after an incident at home described by a teammate as a ‘vicious dog attack’.

Healy withdrew from the Sydney Sixers’ WBBL match against the Sydney Thunder late on Sunday evening, with a team statement citing a ‘domestic accident at home’.

After the Sixers confirmed the 33-year-old underwent surgery on Sunday, her Thunder rival and Australian teammate Phoebe Litchfield later said Healy had been injured in a dog attack.

Speaking to Fox after the Thunder’s win over the Sixers, Litchfield said: “It sounded like a pretty vicious dog attack, and I don’t know if this is public, I’m pretty sure it’s just a torn finger, so hopefully she’s okay. ‘

Posting a photo on Instagram with a bandaged hand, Healy said she appreciated people’s support as she watched Sunday’s game from home.

Healy, married to Mitchell Starc, was missing from the Sydney Sixers match on Sunday

Starc is away in India representing Australia at the Cricket World Cup

Sixers head Rachael Haynes said after the game that the next two weeks would be important for Healy, but was unsure how long she would be unavailable.

“I’ve spoken to her family and she’s certainly in good spirits and we’ll probably be in a position in the coming days to clarify any information around that,” Haynes told Fox.

The Sixers said in a statement that further information about Healy’s injury, likely including how long she will be sidelined, “will be communicated in due course.”

“She has not been replaced on the Sixers roster,” the statement added.

Healy has captained the all-conquering Australian women’s side during the extended absence of full-time skipper Meg Lanning, most recently in an ODI and T20 series against the West Indies.

The Sixers’ next match is against Brisbane Heat North Sydney Oval on Tuesday evening.