Arguably the best athlete in Australia, three-time Belinda Clark Award winner and ICC Cricketer of the Decade, Ellyse Perry is one of the greatest players of her generation.
The Sydney-born allrounder also holds the distinction of having represented Australia in both cricket and soccer World Cups. Perry became the youngest Australian ever to play senior international cricket when she made her debut in the second ODI of the Rose Bowl Series in Darwin in July 2007 before her 17th birthday. She went on to make her domestic debut in the 2007-08 Women’s National Cricket League season, taking 2-29 from 10 overs in her first match.
Since her national debut, Perry has become a regular fixture for the Southern Stars, playing in the 2009 ICC Women’s World Cup and the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in the same year. Leading Australia’s bowling attack, Perry played a crucial role in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Final in the West Indies in 2010. The match came down to the wire, with New Zealand requiring five runs off the last ball to claim the title. Under immense pressure, Perry bowled the final ball of the tournament, which New Zealand’s Sophie Devine struck straight off the bat. The talented footballer stuck out her boot to deflect the ball to Lisa Sthalekar at mid-on, securing the trophy for Australia. Perry’s figures of 3-18 in the final saw her take home the Player of the Match award.
Perry featured prominently in Australia’s three-peat of World T20 victories, also sealing her spot in the Team of the Tournament in 2012 and 2014. In 2013, Perry played a key role in Australia claiming the ICC Women’s World Cup in India in 2013, despite suffering an ankle injury. She finished with 3-19 in the final, claiming the scalps of the West Indies’ top three batters. Perry was named player of the series in Australia’s Ashes triumph over England in 2015 and captained the Sydney Sixers in WBBL|01. In 2018, Perry was an integral part of the Australian Women’s cricket team which went all the way to win a fourth ICC World T20 championship.
During the 2018 ICC Women’s World T20 tournament in the West Indies, Perry became the first cricketer for Australia, male or female, to play 100 Twenty20 International matches. In the final of the same tournament, she became the first cricketer for Australia, male or female, to take 100 wickets in Twenty20 International matches. There has been no stopping the record-breaking Perry, who was a key part of Australia’s triumphs in the 2018, 2020 (despite being injured and missing the final) and 2023 T20 World Cups, and the 2022 ODI World Cup in New Zealand. In India in early 2024, she became the first woman to play 300 internationals for Australia. In 2025, she moved home to her native New South Wales.