Ellyse Perry is a role model for all Australians

Australia’s Ellyse Perry has established herself as perhaps the greatest women’s cricket player of the modern era and perhaps even of all-time. The 30-year-old has been the key cog in the success of the Baggy Greens since making her debut in 2008. Perry has amazed in all disciplines of the game with her excellence, taking the women’s game to heights never seen before.

Due to her brilliance and character, she was named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the decade in the 2010s. Perry has also won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award twice along with the Belinda Clark Award three times during his illustrious career to date, and there is no doubt that she will add further honours to her name both as an individual and for her respective teams.

Perry has the chance to add yet another Women’s Big Bash League crown to her list of accomplishments. The Sydney Sixers are the leading contenders at 15/8 in the cricket betting odds to win the tournament. The 30-year-old will be an essential part of the Sixers’ charge and she is already among the leading run-scorers to start the campaign. Perry led the way in the 2018/19 season with 777 runs in only 16 matches, which included two centuries and six fifties. Powering her side over the line in a major competition would offset a disappointing 2020 for the all-rounder as an injury prevented her from playing a significant role in Australia’s triumph in the Women’s World T20.

The 30-year-old has dealt with setbacks in her career before but has shown outstanding character to come through those issues. She suffered an ankle injury in 2013 that threatened to derail her 50-over World Cup. Perry displayed both mental and physical toughness to play through the pain barrier to help guide the Aussies to the crown, taking key wickets against the West Indies in the final.

In the early stages of her career, Perry was renowned more for her bowling than her batting. However, she spent time in the nets and practised to refine her craft. Much like Steve Smith transformed his career in the men’s game, Perry has grown into a dominant batter at the crease, excelling in all three formats. She averages an astounding 78 in Test matches, with the highest score by an Australian in the format of 213. Her statistic in the 50-over and 20-over formats are equally as impressive, explaining her vast array of awards, including the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World in 2019.

Perry was not always destined for the world of cricket. She was a fine soccer player as well, turning out in the W-League, the top division of women’s soccer in Australia. Perry was part of the Canberra United team that won the league in the 2011/12 season before opting to turn her attention to cricket on a full-time basis. Despite her commitment to her craft, the 30-year-old is also a published author, writing four children’s books and an autobiography about her rise to the top of the game.

It’s clear to see why she is considered a role model not only for Australian women, but her compatriots as a whole, given her commitment to excellence both on and off the field.