Star turn to ultimate team player: Ellyse Perry remains a trump card for Australia at World Cup final
Australia coach Matthew Mott “wouldn’t begrudge her if she wanted to fade into the background” after injury ruled Ellyse Perry out of a World Cup final. Instead she will be with the team every step of the way on Sunday.
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Ellyse Perry raised her hands to her face and let her emotions go.
She’d spent Thursday night sitting boundary side at the SCG, watching on as her Aussie teammates overcame huge odds to miraculously win their way through to the T20 World Cup final.
Unable to play in Thursday’s semi-final against South Africa because of a high-grade hamstring tear, she was forced into an unusual position for her: that of spectator.
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So, when her teammates won through to Sunday’s final where they’ll take on India at the MCG, she couldn’t contain her joy any longer.
Opening bowler Megan Schutt said Perry’s emotion after the win affected everyone.
“I got off the field and Pez had tears in her eyes and for me that set me off a little bit,” she said.
“(And) I’m not a crier in front of people.”
Perry came into the World Cup under an injury cloud. She battled niggles in her shoulder and hip and yet still doggedly took to the field, running fast between wickets and bowling ferociously at the stumps.
Then, her campaign was tragically cut short when she tore her hamstring while attempting a run out in Australia’s four-run win over New Zealand at Junction Oval on Monday.
Perry is not one for self-pity.
When she was asked about when asked about her injury on Thursday by Fox Sports she had only this to say: “I’m going really well actually. In the grand scheme of things I’ve had a very lucky ride.
“It was a little bit of bad luck the other day.”
In reality, however, the injury to her hamstring was so bad that she’d ripped the muscle from the bone.
In all likelihood, it will keep her out of cricket for at least six months.
Australian coach Matthew Mott said he could have forgiven Perry if she’d just taken herself away from the game and the team after her injury.
“She’s been a big part of our success over the years and I can’t believe she’s fronted up and just given so much to the team,” he said.
“You certainly wouldn’t begrudge her if she wanted to fade into the background and take a back seat.
“But she’s just fronted up and helped out with other players, done a lot of work with the younger players one-on-one behind the scenes.”
The quietly spoken superstar of Australian cricket will no doubt be devastated to not take to the MCG on Sunday evening, in front of what could be a world-record-breaking crowd for a women’s sporting event.
Perhaps that’s what her tears were about on Thursday night: the elation and joy of Australia defying the odds to make the final, combined with the knowledge that she wouldn’t be there to help them try and win the trophy.
No doubt they were also tears of relief, and of pride and of excitement.
WHEN PERRY SPEAKS, YOU LISTEN
Earlier in the week, moments before the Aussies took on New Zealand in what was a must-win to qualify for the semis, Perry gathered the batting group together and rallied them.
Mott witnessed her talk to the batters, imploring a renewed team spirit between them.
“She doesn’t say a lot, Ellyse, but when she says something people sit up and take notice because they know it’s going to well thought out … she’s not just putting something out there flippantly,” he said.
LOUD and PROUD because we're off to the #T20WorldCup final! 💚💛#CmonAussie #FillTheMCG pic.twitter.com/HEPCwFlmZI
— Australian Women's Cricket Team ðŸ (@AusWomenCricket) March 6, 2020
“When you look at cricket teams, a lot of the bowling groups are quite tight and they generally bowl in partnerships quite a bit, and so she just said: ‘Look, I think we can bring a bit of that into our batting group’.
“And it really hit the nail on the head and I think what it did do was it evened out the pressure valve for the batting group and made them aware that they weren’t on their own and when they’re out there, a partnership is really important.”
Perry didn’t know as she spoke that she was only moments away from her own World Cup campaign ending.
And for her not to take the field in the semi-final on Thursday, was something of a shock: it was the first time in Australia’s 37 games at T20 World Cups that Perry hadn’t played.
Friend and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy talked about her regret at that.
“It will be sad not to have her on the field, especially standing next to me when we’re singing the anthem,” she said.
“It’s something we’ve done since we started our careers.”
Cricketers are naturally superstitious and Perry is no exception: she likes to always put the right pad, right glove on first. So it should be no surprise that she stands with Healy on her right side when they sing the anthem; starting the game out in the way she likes.
Delissa Kimmince, who was brought into the side for the semi-final in part replacement of Perry, said it was sad to see Perry injured in the way she has been.
“We’re not 100 per cent sure how long she’ll be out for, but to see someone of her nature and what she’s achieved in women’s cricket and what she’s brought to this team for the last 10 years to miss out on that opportunity, it’s quite sad,” Kimmince said.
“You can see her limping around and I couldn’t imagine what it’s like to be sitting on the sideline watching.”
Sport is all about the agony and the ecstasy and Perry – one of Australia’s finest cricketer – has seen it all this T20 World Cup.
But Mott knows his star all-rounder will be back.
“She’s probably got a well-deserved rest now and I think … having a bit of time out of the game, it can be a catalyst to really springboard how you want to play the game in the next couple of years.
“Sometimes these things, as heartbreaking as they are, they give time out to reflect on what’s important and how you want to play.”