Ellyse Alexandra Perry (born 3 November 1990) is an Australian sportswoman who has represented her country in cricket and soccer. Having debuted for both the national cricket team and the national soccer team at the age of 16, she is the youngest Australian to play international cricket and the first to have appeared in both ICC and FIFA World Cups (Only appeared as a substitute after the 89th minute for the Matildas team) . Gradually becoming a single-sport professional athlete from 2014 onward, Perry's acclaimed cricket career has continued to flourish and she is now widely considered to be one of the greatest female players ever.
A genuine all-rounder, Perry's mastery of both batting and fast bowling disciplines is reflected in several statistical achievements—she was the first player to amass a combined 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is, she holds the record for the highest score by an Australian woman in Test matches (213 not out), and she was the third player to claim 150 wickets in women's ODIs. Her contribution to various successful teams at international and domestic level across cricket's primary formats has led to winning eight world championships with Australia, eleven WNCL championships with New South Wales, and two WBBL championships with the Sydney Sixers. She has also been recognised with numerous individual honours, such as winning the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award and the Belinda Clark Award three times each, and being named as one of the Wisden Five Cricketers of the Decade: 2010–19.
Due to her on-field performance, off-field marketability and stature as "the ultimate role model", Perry is credited as a leading figure for the rising female presence in Australia's sporting culture.
Early life
Perry was born and raised in the Sydney suburb of Wahroonga, attending Beecroft Primary School and Pymble Ladies' College. She was Sports, Athletics, and Cricket Captain at Pymble. During her school years, she played a range of sports beside cricket and soccer, such as tennis, athletics, touch football and golf. She became friends with future Australian teammate Alyssa Healy at the age of nine, and they played cricket together throughout childhood. Healy occasionally referred to her as "Dags" because of an ill-fitting uniform she wore at junior level, though Perry is more commonly known by the nickname "Pez".
Soon after turning 16, Perry played cricket for New South Wales in an under-19 interstate tournament in January 2007. In three matches, she scored 74 runs and took three wickets. A month later, she was selected in the Australian youth team for a tour of New Zealand, playing against the hosts' second XI. She scored 43 runs at 21.50 and took one wicket at 100.00.
International cricket
2007–08: Debut in all three formats
Perry was fast-tracked into the Australian team for a series in July 2007 against New Zealand, despite having never played a match at senior level. She made her One Day International debut in Darwin on 22 July at the age of 16 years and 8 months, becoming the youngest-ever cricketer to represent Australia. Taking two wickets for 37 runs from eight overs, her first scalp was Maria Fahey, whom she bowled for 11. Then, batting down the order at nine, she made 19 from 20 balls before Australia were all out for 174 to lose by 35 runs.
In her Twenty20 International debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against England on 1 February 2008, Perry "confirmed herself as a star for the future" through a "superb all-round performance" which included a late-innings knock of 29 not out from 25 balls before taking 4/20 off 4 overs to help Australia win by 21 runs. The breakthrough display, which also featured a skilful piece of fielding to execute a run out, sparked excitement around Perry's potential to join revered players, such as Keith Miller, in Australia's exclusive and illustrious club of legendary all-rounders.
In the 2007–08 Women's Ashes match at Bradman Oval in Bowral on 15 February, Perry became the youngest-ever Australian Test cricketer, debuting at the age of 17 years and 3 months. The hosts batted first and collapsed to 5/59 on the first day, bringing Perry to the crease to join Kate Blackwell. Perry made 21 from 77 balls before being run out, ending the highest partnership of the innings. The next day, she claimed her first Test wicket, removing England opener Caroline Atkins for 15 and finishing with 2/49 from 23 overs. She made just six runs in the second innings and took one more wicket for the match as the visitors went on to win by six wickets.