Ellyse Perry (Part 3)

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15 Mar 2024

Ellyse Perry (Part 3)

Perry's batting technique is often lauded for its elegance and correctness, with a preference for playing straight shots down the ground. Her composed demeanor under pressure makes her an ideal candidate for anchoring an innings, where she exhibits a cautious approach to shot selection compared to her more aggressive batting partners.

Despite this, she has gradually integrated a wider array of aggressive and unconventional shots into her limited-overs repertoire, resulting in a notable increase in her strike rate. Despite excelling as an opener and being named Player of the Tournament in WBBL|04, Perry has found herself positioned in the middle-order for Australia's T20I team, sparking discussions among pundits.Given her mental resilience, physical fitness, and solid defensive technique, Perry is often considered better suited to the demanding nature of Test cricket rather than the shorter formats of the game. She has advocated for more Test matches to be scheduled for women, lamenting the limited opportunities she has had to don the baggy green in her international career.

When tasked with accelerating the run rate, Perry is recognized as a powerful hitter, evidenced by her ranking third in terms of sixes scored across the first five WBBL seasons. However, her prowess with the bat has also led to some instances of literal destruction, such as hitting a ball into the crowd during a match in December 2017, which unfortunately struck a 13-year-old boy. Perry promptly attended to the boy's welfare and facilitated medical attention, showcasing her compassionate nature. In another incident during a game in November 2019, Perry's six smashed the windscreen of a nearby parked ambulance, highlighting her immense striking ability on the field.

Throughout her illustrious career, Perry has maintained a rigorous training regimen, often spending extensive three-hour net sessions with her father and personal coach, Mark. Upon relocating to Melbourne, she relied heavily on Victoria assistant coach Dulip Samaraweera to uphold her high training standards. Described as "the ultimate professional" and "meticulous" by former teammate Lisa Sthalekar, Perry's preparation is characterized by dedication and attention to detail. Meg Lanning has further emphasized Perry's perfectionist tendencies.

Despite her success as captain of the Sydney Sixers, Perry has never held the top leadership position for the national team. Following Jodie Fields' resignation in 2014, Meg Lanning assumed the role, with Alex Blackwell and Rachael Haynes occasionally filling in when needed. In a 2019 interview, Perry described herself as maintaining a youthful and jovial demeanor within the Australian team, attributing it to breaking into the setup at a young age.
In a peculiar habit reminiscent of Michael Jordan's penchant for wearing college basketball shorts under his NBA uniform, Perry has consistently sported a pair of New South Wales PSSA socks in top-level cricket matches throughout her career. She has cited Michael Hussey as her primary cricketing idol during her formative years, with other favorites including Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan, Belinda Clark, and Karen Rolton.

Renowned primarily for her defensive prowess, Perry made her debut for the Australian national soccer team at the age of 16 years and 9 months, shortly after her international cricket debut. In her first match against Hong Kong, she made an immediate impact by scoring a goal in just the second minute of the game. Perry continued to impress on the international stage, scoring her second goal in a match against South Korea during the 2008 AFC Women's Asian Cup.

At the domestic level, Perry started her soccer career with the Central Coast Mariners in the 2008–09 W-League season before moving to Canberra United. Her stellar performance earned her the joint-recipient of the 2009 W-League Young Player of the Year award, along with Elise Kellond-Knight. Perry also received three awards from Canberra United that season, including the Players', Supporters', and overall Club Player of the Year.

Selected for the Matildas squad for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, Perry became the first Australian to feature in both ICC and FIFA World Cups when she made an appearance as a substitute in the group game against Norway. She further solidified her position in the team by scoring Australia's only goal in the quarter-final against Sweden.
In 2012, Perry faced a crucial decision when Canberra United issued her an ultimatum to choose between cricket and soccer or find another W-League club. Opting to continue her soccer career, she joined Sydney FC for the 2012–13 season. Perry's talents were showcased on the international stage once again when she represented Sydney FC at the 2013 International Women's Club Championship.

Despite her success on the field, Perry encountered challenges, including facing physical aggression from opponents during matches. In a game against Melbourne Victory, she suffered a leg wound requiring six stitches due to a late tackle. However, Perry maintained her professionalism amidst the controversy, with both sides offering differing accounts of the incident.