OTD| Australia’s star all-rounder Ellyse Perry was born in 1990

Ellyse Perry is a renowned Australian cricketer celebrated for her remarkable skills as an all-rounder in women’s cricket. Her journey to stardom began with a bang as she made headlines with a memorable T20I debut for Australia in 2007. During her first T20 international appearance, she scored an unbeaten 29 runs, which included a massive straight six, and also took four wickets. Her exceptional performance led Australia to a thrilling 21-run win over England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Initially, Perry’s bowling prowess stood out, and she secured her maiden five-wicket haul in an ODI against New Zealand in February 2010. Just three months later, she emerged as Australia’s leading wicket-taker during the Women’s World T20 in the Caribbean. Her crucial Player-of-the-Match performance in the final, where she took three wickets, played a vital role in limiting New Zealand during a tense run chase. Perry went on to become an instrumental part of Australia’s four consecutive World Cup victories in as many years.

One of the most iconic moments in her career was her heroic performance during the 2013 Women’s World Cup final against West Indies. Despite being barely able to walk due to an injury, she courageously bowled ten overs and captured three wickets. Perry’s development as an all-rounder was evident from her exceptional Ashes performances between 2014 and 2019, which included a double century in Sydney and another century in Taunton. In 2015, she showcased her bowling prowess by taking nine wickets in an Ashes series to help Australia regain the trophy. Her batting prowess further evolved in the latter part of the decade, turning her into a run-machine for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash.

Perry was set to play a pivotal role in the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup held in Australia. However, her campaign was cut short during a group match against New Zealand, where she suffered a severe hamstring injury that sidelined her for the knockout stages. Despite her absence, she lifted the trophy with her team in front of a massive crowd of 86,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, solidifying her status as one of the game’s all-time greats.

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