Aussie opener was typically hard on herself after a century in Antigua, and hopes there is better to come in Sunday's second ODI
'Scratchy' Healy slowly heating up in the Caribbean
The heat and humidity of Antigua is a world away from the cooler climes of Yorkshire, but Alyssa Healy had no trouble adapting as she continued her love affair with the Caribbean on Thursday.
The Australian opener struck a superb 122 from just 106 deliveries in the opening ODI against the West Indies, her 225-run stand with skipper Meg Lanning paving the way to an emphatic 178-run victory.
Healy only arrived in the country on Saturday, fresh off a stint with Yorkshire Diamonds in England's 20-over Super League competition.
She then dozed off during a warm-up game on Sunday, but there wasn't a person in the small but appreciative crowd at Coolidge Cricket Ground on Thursday who would have dared snooze during her entertaining knock, which featured 12 fours and two sixes.
The impact of the intense heat was obvious when a weary Healy removed her helmet to wave her bat towards the Australian bench upon bringing up three figures.
She'd ridden her luck somewhat to reach her second international century, dropped three times by the hosts, but Healy says she would not swap the "scratchy" innings for anything.
"I was really sweaty and very tired, but it was a really nice moment," Healy said.
"I don't get (to a century) very often in these colours so it was nice to be able to do it today.
"It was never coming through at any great pace or bouncing all that high so it was tricky to adapt and … you never felt in, so for us it was about capitalising on the start we had.
"It was very hot, very different coming from the UK to over here, but I enjoyed it, I sweated out a few of the beers I've had over the last month and a bit celebrating the Ashes (win).
"It was nice to get out there and run around."
Healy passed fifty just once during her stint with Yorkshire but was adamant when speaking to cricket.com.au on Sunday that it was not an issue of form, but decision making.
Asked if she had amended that issue during her century today, Healy said: "Yes and no. It was probably one of the more scratchy innings I've played, I never felt in at any stage and hit a few in the air I didn't want to.
"So hopefully come next game I'll be able to rectify that.
"But there's a hundred on the board there and I wouldn't change it for anything."
Healy now averages 52.18 in ODIs since the start of the 2017 Ashes in Australia, a series that marked a turning point for the wicketkeeper-batter.
To that point, she'd struck just two half-centuries in an eight-year ODI career.
Now, she has seven fifties and two centuries to her name in the format.
And the 29-year-old seems to thrive in the conditions offered in the Caribbean, with Thursday's knock picking up where she left off during last November's T20 World Cup in the region, where she was named player of the tournament after striking four half-centuries in five innings as Australia took home the trophy.
Healy and her Australian teammates will not have to wait long to seek a series-clinching win over the Windies, with the second of the three-ODI series to be played at Antigua's Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday from 9.30am local time (11.30pm AEST).
Fans in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea can stream the series live and free on cricket.com.au and the CA Live App, while fans elsewhere can watch on the West Indies Cricket YouTube channel.
CommBank Tour of the West Indies
Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
West Indies ODI squad: Stafanie Taylor (c), Hayley Matthews (vc), Reniece Boyce, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Shamilia Connell, Stacy Ann King, Natasha McLean, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi
One-Day Internationals*
*ICC Women's Championship matches
September 5: First ODI, Australia won by 178 runs
September 8: Second ODI, Sir Viv Richards Ground, Antigua
September 11: Third ODI, Sir Viv Richards Ground, Antigua
Twenty20 Internationals
September 14: First T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados
September 16: Second T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados
September 18: Third T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados