Do you know of anybody who has represented her country in the World Cups for two sports? Though the question may take you by surprise, the answer is quite simple. It is none other than Australia’s Ellyse Perry, who has represented her country at the World Cups in football and of course cricket. As a kid, Perry was a super enthusiastic sportsperson as she played an array of games including, tennis, touch football, and golf, and was involved in athletics too.
Born on November 3, 1990 in Sydney, Perry enjoyed her childhood as she was busy playing different sports. She attended Beecroft Primary School and Pymble Ladies’ College and was the Sports, Athletics, and Cricket Captain at the latter. She also became friends with her future Australian teammate, Alyssa Healy, at the age of nine. Perry and Healy played cricket together throughout childhood.
Ellyse Perry’s international debut
The SUPER WOMAN – ELLYSE PERRY
Represented Australia in both Football and Cricket in just 2 weeks time span. #Legend pic.twitter.com/KJ0CdkkqhC
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) September 3, 2020
In 2007, at the age of 16, Perry made her way into the New South Wales U19 team and a month later she made the cut for the Australian youth team. She made her international debut against New Zealand in an ODI on July 22, 2007, to become the youngest Australian to play international cricket. Prior to her international debut, she had not played a single match at the senior level. During that time, Australia were looking for a replacement for fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who retired in March 2007, and that was how Perry landed up being in the international squad. A few months after her ODI debut, Perry made her T20I and Test debut in 2008.
Records by Ellyse Perry
Over her illustrious career that is spread across 15 years, Perry has shattered many records and achieved many milestones. She is the first player to amass a combined 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is. She also holds the record for the highest score by an Australian woman in Test matches (213 not out). Perry, a right-handed middle-order batter accomplished the feat on November 9, 2017 against England in Sydney.
She went past Karen Rolton’s 209 not out to become the highest run-getter in a women’s Test inning for Australia. A year later that is in 2018, she struck another century against England to become the second Australian and sixth overall to smash two consecutive Test centuries in women’s cricket. Apart from this in ODI cricket, she is the third player to claim 150 wickets in the women’s game. In 2019, she recorded the best bowling figures by an Australian in women’s ODIs accounting for 7-22.
Ellyse Perry Scores a Goal
With Ellyse Perry becoming our most capped women’s cricketer tonight, here’s a reminder of the last time football was good pic.twitter.com/w3Jeco0JtK
— Tom Carpenter (@Carpo34) October 9, 2021
In the same year, she put together 199 runs with Alyssa Healy to register the highest partnership in domestic women’s T20. In October 2021, she became Australia’s most capped woman cricketer. At present, she is the leading run-getter and wicket-taker in Women’s Ashes. She has also been a part of seven World Cup championships, including two 50-over titles in 2013 and 2022 and five 20-over titles in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2020. She has won Rachael Heyhoe Flint award and Belinda Clark award three times each for her stellar all-round performances.
Apart from being a talented all-rounder, Perry is a strong character. A testament of her mental strength is certainly the 2013 World Cup final that Australia played against West Indies in Mumbai. Perry, a right-arm speedster, was barely able to walk in that match. Despite the pain, she gathered courage and was determined to perform for her team on the big stage. To everybody’s shock, she completed her full quota of 10 overs limping and went on to pick 3-19. She also bowled three maiden overs. She was the most successful and most economical bowler for Australia in that match. Though she didn’t win the player of the match in that game her contributions with the ball helped Australia to win the World Cup.
Ellyse Perry is a global name, thanks to her participation in franchise cricket tournaments like the Women’s T20 Challenge in India and the Hundred in England, of course not to forget Australia’s very own Women’s Big Bash League. She has been an inspiration for many young girls not only in Australia but also all around the world. Unequivocally, she is a brand ambassador of women’s cricket.
Ellyse Perry is arguably the best all-rounder in this generation of women cricketers and probably there could be no second thoughts on this. Being an integral part of this dominating Australian team is by no means an easy task and Perry with her incredible all-around abilities has proved that she is certainly worth the weight in gold.
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.
