Australian cricket star Ellyse Perry has been named by Wisden in their 5 cricketers of the decade. She is the only female cricketer and all-rounder to be named in the male-dominated list.
Australia women’s regular Ellyse Perry has made it to the ‘Five Wisden Cricketers of the Decade’. Wisden has named 5 cricketers who were the topmost performers in the decade that went by. Perry, who is one of the greatest all-rounders of cricket, has made it to the top 5 along with the likes of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. She is also joined by compatriot and Aussie batsman Steve Smith. Dale Steyn is the specialist bowler to be named on the list.
Ellyse Perry has been phenomenal in this decade. She has been equally lethal with the bat and the ball. A ‘true all-rounder’, Perry was both the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in the last multi-format Ashes held in England this year. Since the first Ashes in 2013, Perry has both the most runs and wickets. Six women’s Ashes were played in this decade out of which Perry has been named as the Player of the Series in 3.
This year she also became the first cricketer – man or woman – to complete the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is. Her unbeaten test double hundred in the 2017 Ashes is something which will be remembered for long.
Perry is the eighth highest run-scorer of the world in this decade. Playing for Australia, she has scored 4,747 runs and taken 289 wickets in international cricket. Perry, who broke into the scene as a bowler, has transformed herself into a world-class all-rounder in all formats of the game.
Wisden announced the names of the 5 cricketers on their official website. Isabelle Westbury of Wisden writes, “Perry stands alone in being consistent throughout. Across the decade she has a Test batting average of 114.6 and a bowling one of under 17. And these are the figures of a woman whose Test career has been limited to just eight Tests across a career spanning 11 years. A travesty, really.”
The Five Wisden Cricketers of the Decade are:
AB de Villiers (South Africa)
Virat Kohli (India)
Ellyse Perry (Australia Women)
Dale Steyn (South Africa)
Steve Smith (Australia)
(Stats as reported on 26 December 2019)
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