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There are many firsts in Ellyse Perry’s colourful sporting career. She is the first woman to represent Australia in World Cups in two sports, cricket and soccer, which she has achieved of course at the same time.
She is also the youngest Australian ever to play senior international cricket when she made her debut in the second ODI of the Rose Bowl series at Darwin in July 2007. That was before her 17th birthday.
Considered a genuine all-round prospect at the start of her career having toured New Zealand with the Australian under-23 cricket team in early 2007, she is now the pace spearhead in the Australian bowling attack.
No one can forget her bowling Australia to victory in the World Cup Final in India this February. And that too despite an injury before the match.
When I interviewed Ellyse at the picturesque Quay Restaurant in Sydney last week during the naming of the Australian women’s squad, I realised that Ellyse was more than just a talented dual international.
With film star looks, I can mentally picture her running in to bowl her fast deliveries with a book resting steadily on her head.
She could be the next Ambassador of Australia the way she answered my questions.
Here is how our interview went:
KM-H: “If there is a cricket Test and a soccer Test on the same day, which match would you play?”
Ellyse: “Cricket and soccer seasons do not coincide.”
KM-H: What would give you greater satisfaction; a hat-trick in cricket or a deciding goal in the final minute of a footy match for Matildas?”
Ellyse: “Both would please me equally.”
KM-H: “Name the bowler you hate to face.”
Ellyse thinks, smiles and says “Every bowler!”
The score-line: Ellyse 3, KM-H 0.
What maturity in a 22 year-old – beating a crusty old journo 3-0!
I did get answers to my final two questions:
KM-H: “Your favourite ground in cricket?”
“It has to be Lord’s”.
KM-H: “Your proudest moment?”
“To represent Australia” she smiled and left with a polite thank you.
Her future in cricket had been secured when she was in the group of the first women cricketers to be handed contracts by Cricket Australia in 2008.
She made her Test debut against England the same year and made headlines when her unbeaten 29, which included a huge straight six, and four wickets lead Australia to a 21-run win over England in a Twenty20 match on the MCG.
She was only 18 then.
As her career has progressed, it is her bowling that has proved her stronger point and she picked up her first five-wicket haul in an ODI against New Zealand in February 2010.
Three months later, she was Australia’s leading wicket-taker at the Women’s World Twenty20 in the West Indies and was named Player of the Match in the final. Her three wickets were crucial in crowning Australia as world T20 champions.
She was also behind Australia’s triumph in Women’s World Cup in India on 17 February this year. After scoring 25 not out with two fours and a six, she dismissed three top West Indies batsmen to finish with excellent figures of 10-3-19-3.
Her bowling averages are under 25 in all three formats of cricket; 24.88 in Tests, 21.97 in ODIs and 19.31 in T20s.
Sky is the limit for the young multi-talented Ellyse Perry.