Ellyse Perry, Australia
Cricket and Football
Australian cricket has been the subject of many a joke in the past year, but it feels as if it’s within Ellyse Perry’s power to single-handedly swat every punchline away.
The world’s foremost female all-rounder has recently required a deadly edge to her batting that has quite simply lifted her onto a different plane from her peers. No player finished within 200 runs of Perry’s 777, compiled at an astonishing average of 86.33, for Sydney Sixers in the recently completed Women’s Big Bash League. Shortly after the Sixers lost in the WBBL final, she shrugged a head-scratching monkey off her back by scoring her first-ever ODI century from 80 attempts in Australia’s home series versus New Zealand. Both achievements were some ripostes – though Perry herself would never describe them as such – to her limited role with the willow at last year’s Women’s World Twenty20. She enjoyed a fine tournament with the ball as ever as the second-highest wicket-taker on the way to her fifth international trophy, but was shunted down to No7 after concerns over her strike-rate. Simply put, there was not enough pizzazz to Perry’s batting. A matter of weeks later, the 28-year-old started mowing down the world’s premier bowlers in the biggest domestic tournament in women’s cricket. Suddenly she had started taking more unorthodox positions at the crease to counteract the numerous tricks up the sleeve of any T20 bowler worth their salt. Still a classical, flowing batter, but now with a heavy metal twist. As an athlete who had made appearances at both football and cricket World Cups by the time she was 21, there is no doubting Perry’s natural talent. Ability is only unearthed by work ethic, however, and her countless hours in the nets with father Mark – a routine they shared even during the WBBL – is what continues to set her apart.
– At the age of 16, the former defender was handed both of her football and cricket international debuts within two weeks of each other.
– As of February 2019 Perry was the ICC’s top-ranked female all-rounder and second-ranked batter in ODIs, and in the top five for all-rounders and bowlers in T20s.
– Her unbeaten score of 213 against England in the 2017 Ashes is the best-ever Test score by a female Australian cricketer, beaten Karen Rolton’s record by four runs.
– During last year’s World Twenty20, Perry became the first Australian – male or female – to appear in 100 international T20s.
– Perry will leave New South Wales to play her domestic cricket in Victoria this year as she moves closer to her husband Matt Toomua, the rugby union player who has signed for the Melbourne Rebels.
Did you know…
When it came to choosing cricket over football, Perry’s choice was made for her. In 2014, then coach Hesterine de Reus declared Perry would not be selected as her limited playing time meant she felt short of international standards.
“They’re not dreams, but you’re still thinking about playing your sport when you close your eyes and you’re trying to get to sleep. That’s how much you enjoy it, I think. That’s how consumed you are by it. That’s how much it means to you. I still have nights like that.” – Ellyse Perry
Twitter: @EllysePerry
Instagram: ellyseperry
