Is Ellyse Perry the Best Women’s Cricket All Rounder Ever?

Often referred to as the poster girl of Australian women’s cricket, Ellyse Perry is a player with great stature who holds plenty of records by her name. She started representing the Australian Women’s Cricket Team at the very young age of 16, and since then she has been the flag bearer of the sport. She is tall and muscular, and she can clear sizes with ease. Along with that, she is very agile and is often seen taking sharp catches while fielding. Her athleticism is evident from the fact that she has represented her nation in both football and cricket. She was once also referred to as the most marketable athlete by Australian media. 

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In this article by ZAP, let’s know more about Ellyse Perry, her international cricket career and what makes her one of the best all rounder in women’s cricket. 

Ellyse Perry’s International Cricket Career:

Ellyse Perry was born on November 3, 1990, and her current age is 33 years old. She stepped into the highest level of cricket when she made her Australian Women’s Team International Cricket debut at the tender age of 16 years. Since then, Ellyse Perry has become one of the best all rounders in women’s cricket ever, with stats to back this claim. She can bat at any position and is an equally great fast bowler. Her swing bowling ability in the powerplay overs make her Australia’s frontline pacer. She was recognised as the ICC’s Women’s Cricketer of the Years in 2017 and 2019. Not only that, she was also awarded the player of the decade honour by the ICC in 2020. She is a three time winner of the Belinda Clark Award in 2016, 2018, and 2020, an award given by Cricket Australia to Women’s International Cricketer of the year. She holds the best bowling figures by any Australian in One Day format, that is, 7-22. With the bat, she holds the record of scoring the highest score by any Australian women's player in a test inning, 213 not out against England. She was player of the series in Ashes in 2014 and 2015 as well. Her lethal bowling and aggressive batting make her a complete all rounder. On her day, she can be a nightmare to opponents. Apart from her personal records, Perry has always been a vital part of the team,and has been the Women’s World Cup winner in 2013 and 2022. She’s also won the ICC T20 World Cup trophy 6 times: in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023. She holds a gold medal from the Commonwealth Games too. Her individual and team records and accolades clearly put her on the list of one of the greatest players ever in women’s cricket. 

Credit: The Indian Express

Ellyse Perry’s Stats and Records:

Ellyse Perry has showcased remarkable consistency and proficiency with both the bat, and ball across all formats of cricket. In Test matches, she has scored a total of 928 runs at an outstanding batting average of 61.86. She has also been super effective with the ball, claiming 38 wickets, including two 5-wicket hauls. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), Perry has been equally impressive, scoring 3958 runs with two centuries and 34 half-centuries to her name. She has also been handy with the ball, taking 165 wickets, the 6th highest in the format. In the shortest format, T20Is, Perry has scored 1774 runs and has taken 123 wickets, and is the fourth highest wicket taker in the format. Across all formats, she has cemented herself as one of the most valuable players in the women’s cricket.

Ellyse Perry’s contribution in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL):

The Sydney Sixers WBBL Team brought in Perry to fill the shoes of a batting all rounder in WBBL and they couldn’t ask for more. Knowing her past record, Perry was given responsibilities to lead the team and she passed with flying colours. The team won the title twice, in the 2016–17 season and the 2017–18 season. She also became the first player to reach 2000 WBBL runs and the first to captain 100 WBBL games. She truly is a legend in the WBBL.

Ellyse Perry with the RCB - The WPL Winner

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In the inaugural season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) in 2023, Perry was picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore Women's Team in auction at a price of ₹1.7 Crore. She couldn’t contribute much for the team in the initial season, as the team ended up in fourth place. However, she did exceedingly well in the second season of the WPL, scoring 347 runs and winning the orange cap. She also took 11 wickets in the tournament, showing how versatile she can be on the field. She was one of the main reasons that RCB could win their first ever title in franchise history. To all RCB fans, she is no less than a legend of the franchise.

Also Read: Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL Team

Is Ellyse Perry the Greatest All Rounder Ever?

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With the stats and performances she’s put up, while also winning several trophies over the last decade, it is very hard to go against this argument. With more than 6700 runs and 329 wickets across all formats of the game and having won 8 ICC Trophies, Ellyse Perry is surely the greatest all rounder in women’s cricket history. 

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